Image by Rigmarole

Cooking is a very simple task that you perform every day without thinking much about it. Unless you are a professional cook you do not think about cooking as an essential part of balanced living. I did not think about it until recently.

The other day I was cooking my husband’s favorite dish – spaghetti with marinara sauce. It is a very basic recipe that is extremely easy, healthy and tasty at the same time. While I was cooking I realized that at that moment I was balancing my life. Cooking is an essential ritual for balanced living.

1. Cooking develops creativity. Take a few basic ingredients and think how many different dishes you can fix. The possibilities are practically endless if you really think hard about it. You can use a cookbook at first when you are an inexperienced cook but later try to use your creativity to come up with new ideas for supper. If you train your mind this way then it will be easy for you to come up with interesting ideas in business or your everyday life.
2. You put love into every meal. Think about your childhood and how your mom used to fix your favorite dish. Even if you order the same dish at the most expensive restaurant or try to follow the same recipe your mom’s creation will still taste a million times better. The difference is the love that she always puts into her cooking.
   When you cook you can give your family the best tasting food and put your heart and love into every meal. Nothing is more pleasant than a smile on your child’s or your loved one’s face when they eat their favorite meal that you fixed for them.
3. Cooking is calming. You take everything one step at a time, you concentrate on the present moment of cooking, you do some monotonous activities (like chopping or stirring) that calm your body and mind. Cooking is like meditation because you can quiet your mind.
4. Create delicious meals. Healthy and tasty food is an important part of balanced living. Humans are programmed to like foods that are not healthy (chocolate cake, ice-cream, chips, French fries) but when you cook yourself you can transform the unhealthy recipes into healthier versions. Instead of having French fries you can fix roasted potato wedges and instead of using a cake mix you can fix your own chocolate cake without gluten (if somebody in your family is allergic to it) or with half the fat. When you cook you can choose the best ingredients for yourself and for your family and avoid all the chemicals and trans fats that are commonly used in precooked meals.
5. Cooking clears your mind. While you are chopping celery you are chopping off negative thoughts. You can feel new ideas and plans cooking up in your head. You can organize your thoughts and find solution to the problems you’ve been thinking about lately. I come up with half of my blog post ideas while I am cooking (the other half I get while running) so you can use cooking to come up with new ideas for your life.
6. Cooking gives new experiences. If you want to break the routine (which you should do to feel in balance) then having a little adventure is always the best way to do that. You can have adventures in your kitchen almost every day that won’t cost any money (other than the cost of the ingredients of course) but will bring plenty of new emotions. Try new recipes, new cuisines, new ways of cooking, new tastes and feel the excitement of discovery.
7. Cooking brings family together. If you are busy all week long and you do not get enough time to spend with your kids or your loved ones then you can have a great time cooking together. You’ll have enough time to do some catching up on the news in each other’s lives, you’ll laugh and talk together, and you’ll experience new things and learn to help each other. There is no better way to teach your kids about healthy eating than to invite them to a cooking party. They’ll be more willing to try new things (like green veggies that they do not normally like) and appreciate healthy foods.
   You can also have a romantic cooking date with your partner. A few months ago my husband and I tried to fix our own sushi rolls. We had the best time in the kitchen together; it was a romantic date that was absolutely awesome.
8. Cooking lets you be alone. If you have kids then you can ask your spouse to take care of them and have some alone time while cooking. Even if you do not have kids you can still enjoy this time without any people around you. This is your time to reflect on your life and to enjoy silence.
9. Cooking is a mindfulness practice. If you are not mindful while cooking then you risk slicing your finger open or burning the entire meal (I did both ). Even if you do not meditate or practice mindfulness in any other way, cooking is a basic ritual to get you in the habit of being mindful of your life.
10. Cooking is exercise. While you cook you usually stand a lot, lift heavy pots and pans, move around the kitchen, bend and squat. While you cook you definitely burn more calories than when you order take-out or eat at a restaurant. I usually do some squats, stretches or lunges while I am waiting for the water to boil or for the pancakes to turn brown. Even 5 minutes of exercise is better than no exercise at all.

Balanced living is not about some difficult spiritual practices or grand notions. Balanced living consists of simple everyday activities that you can turn into sources of inspiration for your everyday life. Cooking is one of those things but there are others like working on cars, cleaning the house, working in the garden and many-many others. If you want to live a balanced life you should start paying more attention to your everyday tasks and treat them like sources of inspiration rather than boring routines.

Keep it balanced!

Image by Mr. Wright’s.

If you are interested in healthy eating then you have probably read a lot of articles with pros and cons of vegetarianism. You might even be asking yourself this question “Should I be a vegetarian or not?”

I read a lot of blogs, magazines, books and just random articles and all of them have a different take on vegetarianism. Some of the most prominent personal development bloggers are vegetarians but some of them are not. My question is “Is it REALLY important to be a vegetarian in order to be healthy or to live a balanced life?”

There is a lot of evidence why vegetarianism is good for your body and my friend Lana Kravtsova has written a wonderful post about it (read it here please). However, I am not a vegetarian and I am not planning on being one. You read a lot about people who chose to be vegetarians and how much better their lives get. However, my sister-in-law turned to meat-eating after 8 years of vegetarianism and she feels great about the decision. She is as energetic and as healthy now as when she used to be a vegetarian but now she says that she likes the taste of food better. I think that it is important to consider all the options before you choose your lifestyle. Here are my thoughts on vegetarianism:

1. Moderation is the key. I must admit that eating a lot of meat and dairy products is a death sentence, especially if you choose red meat, eggs, low quality poultry (with tons of fat in it) and whole milk products. The meat industry is also far from being environmentally friendly so I do share concerns about the humane treatment of animals.
   However, if you use animal products moderately (a few times a week, choose only low fat meat and dairy) then your diet will be very healthy. If you choose free range and pasture fed meat then your impact on the environment is minimal.
   Healthy animal products are more expensive that is why you will be using them less often (at least that’s what I do).
   If you look at the list of countries with people living actively to 100 years or older you will not find any vegetarians there (these regions are Sardinia (Italy), Okinawa (Japan), Loma Linda (California – a religious group of Seventh Day Adventists), Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica) and Icaria (Greece)). Diets of people in these regions are mostly plant-based but they also eat animal products in moderation.
2. Physical strength and vegetarianism do not mix. I tried vegetarianism for about 4 months several years ago (actually I forgot about moderation and went into a complete extreme – raw-foodism). I felt great and I didn’t miss meat at all. I even managed to go on a very physically demanding camping and mountain climbing trip for 10 days. I managed to get through the camping trip but when I got back to teaching fitness 5 times a week my body fell apart. I didn’t have enough energy to teach the entire class, I was extremely tired in the evenings and I started having various health problems.
   Exercise is a big part of my life that is why I am not going to torture my body by depriving it of essential nutrients (animal protein being the most important for muscles.)
3. Not everything vegetarian is healthy. I think it is more important to get rid of fast food and junk food in your diet rather than meat. Vegetarian junk food is still junk food and vegetarian meals can also contain unnatural chemicals that are horrible for the body. Soda is a vegetarian food but we would not call it healthy, wouldn’t we? Mindfulness and clean eating is more important than vegetarianism in my opinion.
4. Vegetarianism is a great spiritual practice. When I hear the word “vegetarian” my immediate association is Mahatma Gandhi. I admire him and I constantly learn a lot from his teachings. I know that Gandhi was a vegetarian but he also tried and liked meat when he was young. However, because of his mom’s strong religious beliefs he remained a vegetarian. When she died he chose to stay a vegetarian as a spiritual practice, a way to gain self-control without aggression and to live a life of non-violence.
   I greatly admire people who chose vegetarianism as a way to gain spiritual clarity. It is not the only way but it is their way. I am just not one of those people.
5. The concept of balance. All of us have different bodies and different tastes. I can’t live a day without something sweet (anything from an apple to a decadent cake) but what I hate most are greasy and fattening dishes (bacon and chips are at the bottom of my list.)
   When you choose what foods you will eat and what you won’t you must consider your personal tastes. If living without meat is a daily struggle for you then it won’t give you clarity or happiness. You can choose to avoid certain types of animal products (like red meat) while leaving the healthiest options in your diet (wild caught fish, lean poultry).
   Food is an important part of our lives and it is important to find balance on your plate as well as in your daily life.
6. Vegetarians miss vitamins and minerals. Fruits and veggies are packed with antioxidants and vitamins but still they miss some vital nutrients. Vitamin B12, iron, calcium and vitamin D are the hardest ones to find in a vegetarian diet. If you chose to be a vegetarian you must take supplements to replace these nutrients. I am not a big pill-fan so I prefer to get my vitamins from my plate.

I do not claim to know all the answers and this post is just my thoughts on the topic. The vegetarian diet for me personally is not balanced and this is the reason why I do not follow it. I might change my opinion one day but right now this is how I feel.

If you are interested, most of my protein comes from fish and shell fish (wild caught salmon, tuna and muscles being my favorite choices). I eat poultry about once a week and red meat about once a month or less. Eggs and dairy are also part of my diet but in moderation.

What is your attitude to vegetarianism? Do you have any questions? I am ready to have a discussion on this post and to hear your opinion.

Keep it balanced!

Image by alicepopkorn.

When you hear the word “heart” what do you think about? Do you think about a heart attack or do you think about love, do you think about health or do you think about kindness and generosity? Maybe some of you will think about Ann and Nancy Wilson and will get the song “Barracuda” stuck in your heads but this is not the heart I am talking about.

I am not sure if you’ve heard about it or not but February was heart awareness month. I know that February is long gone (I might be a little behind but I do have a calendar on my desktop ) but our heart is with us every day and every second of our lives. Do we really need to be aware of it just one month a year?

A healthy and strong heart is what lets us enjoy our life, it lets us be healthy and happy, it lets us be open to new experiences and love. Our heart is what makes us alive in a physical and spiritual sense. Your heart is the ultimate indicator of how much balance you have in your life because your lifestyle has the biggest impact on your ticker.

I want to challenge you to take care of your heart today and every day from now on. There are hundreds of things that you can do that will ensure that your heart stays young (in both senses) all your life.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” – Proverbs 17:22

Taking care of your heart only physically is not enough. A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that keeping your weight under control, having your BMI under 30, being active and not smoking reduced risks of dying prematurely of any chronic disease (including cardiovascular disease) by 80%! (Can you think of any pill that can do the same?) But these changes will not be enough if you forget about the other side of your heart. That side is rejuvenated through kindness, love, affection, friendship and faith. Let me show you 77 (+7) ways how you can keep your heart healthy and open to the world every day of your life.

Nutrition

1. Keep your plate bright.
   The more colorful your diet is the more phytonutrients you are getting that can ward off heart disease, obesity and cancer.
2. Be sweet savvy.
   A diet high in sugars (just two or three sweetened drinks are already too much) leads to high blood pressure. Cut down on any refined sugars and especially high fructose corn syrup.
3. Use natural sweeteners.
   If you still want to satisfy your sweet cravings opt for natural sweeteners like fruit, honey and organic maple syrup because these sweet treats combine sugar (fructose) with vitamins and fiber that are so important for a healthy heart. Do not go overboard though, everything is good in moderation.
4. Follow the 80%-20% rule.
   It is great to eat healthy all the time but it is virtually impossible. Leave a 20% room for any unhealthy cravings (fast food on a road trip or a big party with chips and creamy dips).
5. Cut back on saturated fats.
   No matter what your age and risk factors are it will help you to lower your LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and live a longer life. Limit saturated fat to 7% of your daily calories (10 to 11 grams).
6. Reduce your sodium intake.
   Sodium increases your risks of hypertension that makes your heart work harder (and wear out faster.) Table salt is usually not your biggest enemy because most of the sodium in our diets come from fast foods and processed foods.
7. Eat a clean diet.
   Clean diet is the one that is low in processed foods and that uses as many natural products as possible. Some of the examples are eating an orange instead of drinking orange juice, fixing your own chicken for sandwiches instead of using deli meats, choosing whole wheat bread and pasta instead of white varieties.
8. Be full of beans.
   One third of a cup of cooked beans daily can lower your chances of having a heart attack by 38%.
9. Cut back on breakfast cereals.
   While there are some healthy options most cereals are far from being a healthy start of the day. Too much sugar, no vitamins or fiber, high levels of sodium and even trans fats turn this traditional breakfast food into a disaster for your heart. Before you buy your next box take your time to read the label and choose the most natural and healthy cereal.
10. Sip some tea.
    The antioxidants in green and black tea improve blood vessel function and increase blood flow. Drink your tea without sugar (eat a few dried apricots or add some honey to give it a sweet note) and choose organic loose tea that has not been stripped of all healthy nutrients.
11. Go bananas.
    Bananas are the most heart healthy fruits because they have high levels of potassium. Dried apricots and prunes are also excellent sources of this mineral.
12. Have a baked potato.
    Spuds are a top source of potassium, a mineral that can offset the effects of sodium.
13. Drink your veggies.
    You can get an extra serving of vegetables by drinking a low sodium vegetable juice. It is even better to make your own juice at home and drink it for breakfast (do not forget to add some apples and carrots to make this juice drinkable )
14. Go Italian.
    Italian cuisine uses tomatoes and tomato sauce abundantly and it is your best bet to lower your risks of heart attack or stroke by 65%. Spaghetti with Marinara sauce, vegetarian lasagna and pizza with half the cheese and double the sauce are excellent ideas for any heart-healthy meals.
15. Eat salmon and sardines for lunch.
    These varieties of fish are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids that protect you against inflammation and lower triglycerides. Have a salmon sandwich instead of tuna or mix sardines with spicy mustard and red onions and serve them with bread or crackers.
16. Spice up your meals.
    Onions and garlic might not be your best choice if you are going on a romantic date or an important interview but they can remove excess LDL cholesterol from your body. Onions and garlic also will give a nice flavor to any dish without adding extra salt or fat.
17. Get hot.
    Hot peppers (and hot sauce of course) contain a chemical called capsaicin that protects your heart and arteries from any possible problems. You can read more here
18. Start your day with oatmeal.
    It won’t only give you enough energy to survive the most demanding day, it will also lower your cholesterol and general risks of heart disease. Top it with blueberries, bananas or walnuts or sprinkle some cinnamon to make it deliciously healthy.
19. Be smart when eating out.
    Just because you are going out does not mean that you should forget about heart healthy meals. Most restaurants can cook healthy meals in a way that you have never tried them before (your taste buds won’t even notice the difference.) Share portions or take half of the portion home, avoid appetizers and bread with butter, ask your waiter for sauces and gravies on the side, do not order fried, breaded or tempura dishes. Ask your waiter how your meal is prepared and what ingredients are used.
20. Satisfy your eyes not only your mouth.
    Moderate eating is the best strategy to keep your weight under control (weight is one of the decisive factors when it comes to heart disease). If you make your meal look pleasing to the eye you will get satisfied faster without consuming extra calories. One of the reasons why every meal at a restaurant tastes so good is because chefs take time to organize every plate in the most eye-pleasing way.
21. Cut down on coffee consumption.
    There are studies that suggest that coffee is beneficial to your heart in the long run but moderation is the key in this case. One medium Starbucks has the daily allowed amount of caffeine so do not go overboard. One cup of coffee a day is a safe way to benefit your heart, help you wake up and satisfy your cravings.
22. Go nuts.
    Nuts can help you lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol while providing your body with essential fatty acids, fiber and protein. Walnuts are considered the best nuts because they have the highest amount of omega-3s but other nuts (almonds, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts) are good too. Eat about a handful a day as a snack or mix them into the salad or main dish. Remember that you can cancel out the health benefits of nuts if they are covered with salt, chocolate or sugar.
23. Order curry at a restaurant (or cook it yourself!)
    The spice that gives curry its vibrant yellow color is turmeric. This spice has been used in Asian medicine for a long time and recent research suggests that curcumin (a natural ingredient in turmeric and ginger) can dramatically decrease the chances of developing heart failure, reverse and prevent cardiac hypertrophy. This spice also has a dozen other health benefits that will improve your health and mood at the same time. Turmeric tastes great if you add it to chicken, beans, rice, beef and vegetables. Experiment in the chicken or make a reservation at an Indian restaurant.
24. Have dark chocolate for dessert.
    Dark chocolate (70% cacao content or higher) has shown to lower blood pressure. Eat a few squares for a desert or drink some dark cocoa (avoid sugar as much as possible) to take care of your heart and taste buds.
25. Drink red wine (in moderation.)
    Red wine is considered one of the reasons Mediterranean diet is so healthy for your heart. Low amounts of alcohol together with antioxidants prevent heart disease by increasing levels of “good” cholesterol and protecting against artery damage.
26. Cut back on eating out and take-outs.
    We all know that restaurant portions are oversized but most dishes are also high in sodium or fat. eating out a couple of times a month won’t harm you but making it a weekly practice can harm your heart, waste line and wallet all at the same time. Be smart!
27. Eat mindfully.
    Mindful eating is when you eat only when you are hungry (not stressed or bored), when you pay attention to the way your food tastes and when you take your time savoring every bite (as opposed to shoveling it down on the run). If you eat mindfully you will be able to lose unnecessary weight and prevent the scale from creeping up.
28. Read food labels.
    Avoid foods with any partially hydrogenated oils, saturated fat and especially trans fats because they are deadly for your body and heart.
29. Snack on dried fruit.
    Dried fruit have the same health benefits as regular ones but in concentrated form. They are rich in fiber (essential for lowering cholesterol), vitamins and potassium. I love munching on dried dates, apricots or prunes. They are a healthy way for me to satisfy my sweet tooth and take care of my heart at the same time.

Exercise

30. Be active all day.
    If you are active in little ways throughout the day (gardening, cleaning the house, running errands) then your heart will be healthier than the one of a person who exercises for 30-60 minutes and then sits at the computer all day long.
31. Interval training.
    It is the best type of exercise for prevention of heart disease and diabetes. Follow a 3:1 ratio while exercising (3 minutes of moderately paced activities followed by 1 minute of high intensity activities.) You can try it while walking and running or you can combine different types of exercise like lunges and jumps. Just 20 minutes of interval training is as effective for your heart as the whole hour of moderate exercise.
32. Be flexible.
    A recent study in Japan has found that people who were limber after 40 has 30% less stiffness in the arteries. Stretch for 10-15 minutes every day to keep your arteries pliable.
33. Try Yoga.
    Yoga does not provide any cardiovascular benefits as any aerobic activity does but it lowers your levels of stress and keeps your arteries elastic. Yoga also soothes your nervous system which lowers blood pressure and makes heart rates steady.
34. Add resistance bands to your home gym.
    This inexpensive prop can spruce up any boring workout and help you build muscle mass that reduces your body fat and raises levels of good cholesterol (HDL.)
35. Follow these guidelines.
    The American Heart Association recommends that you get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity on 5 days of the week or 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise on 3 days each week. Strength training is recommended at least 2 times every week.
36. Do enjoyable exercise.
    It is important for your body to move and for your heart to get a workout but it is also important to enjoy what you are doing. If you love your type of exercise then you are more likely to stick with for many healthy years. You will experience body and mind benefits if you choose wisely.

Lifestyle

37. Cuddle up with a fur ball.
    A recent study (published in USA Today) shows that cat owners cut their risks of heart attack by almost a third. Scientists suggest that dogs provide similar benefits because both help to relieve stress of their owners.
38. Quit smoking.
    This one does not need explanation if you want to have a healthy life.
39. Keep your BMI under 30 (preferably around 18.5-25).
    BMI is a body mass index that can be easily calculated using this formula BMI = (weight in pounds)*703/(height in inches)2
    Mine is 18.8. What is yours?
40. Get busy under sheets. Men and women who have sex at least 2-3 times a week decrease their risks of heart disease by 50% (study published in the American Journal of Cardiology). Isn’t it a good enough reason to have a romantic night out today (and every day)?
41. Take a vitamin D supplement.
    Vitamin D (the one that is important for your bone strength) also plays a very important role in protecting you from heart disease. Vitamin D deficiency doubles the risks of dying from a heart disease by 50% (according to the Framingham Heart Study). Ask your physician to test your blood for vitamin D and take a supplement if needed.
42. Go out in the sunshine.
    Vitamin D (as stated in the previous tip) is essential for the heart health. Before you start taking any supplements spend 10-15 minutes in the noon sun on most days of the week. Do not use any sunscreen during this sunshine exposure because sunscreen blocks UV-B light bands that produce vitamin D in our bodies. Wear a hat and cover your face but let as many parts of your body as possible be exposed to the sun.
43. Get enough sleep.
    Anxiety, bad mood and irritability are not the only consequences of not getting enough sleep. Skimping on sleep can promote calcium buildup in the arteries, which can lead to a heart-attack causing plaque.
44. Listen to joyful and calming music.
    Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore have shown for the first time that the emotions aroused by joyful music have a healthy effect on blood vessel function. Music provides the same effects as laughter so tune into your favorite melody as often as possible.
45. Have a few green plants in your house.
    Seeing green increases happiness and creativity and decreases stress levels according to a study from Washington State University. Plants also clean the air in your house or office from pollutants like chemicals and dust that can trigger rapid spikes in blood pressure.

Stress Management

46. Socialize.
    Going out with your friends can be as heart-healthy as hitting the gym. Lonely people who do not communicate with their friends a lot had 10-30 points higher blood pressure than their more sociable peers.
47. Detach from stuff.
    We surround ourselves with tons of things that make our life easier, that bring certain pleasures into our lives and that look nice or help us kill time when we are bored. Practice detachment from all this stuff and you will find your heart to be much more open to everything around you.
48. Have a plan for a stressful situation.
    We cannot avoid all stressful situations in our life but we can prepare for them. Make it a rule to think of one positive thing in your life whenever stressful thoughts start creeping into your head or carry a list of things that you are grateful for. Another idea is to have a few pictures of the happiest moments of your life or people who always bring happiness in your life with you.
49. Take a tech break.
    Being plugged in all the time puts you on the edge and increases the production of stress hormones that cause your blood pressure to rise. Turn off your cell-phone in the evening, do not check your email and log off any IM system. Have this time to yourself, not somebody else.
50. Meditate.
    Meditation calms your mind and your heart at the same time. Practice it daily or at least 3 times a week.
51. Get organized.
    Why is it relevant to your heart? Cluttered environments suppress your productivity and increase your stress levels which affect the health of your heart.
52. Stop being a perfectionist.
    Perfectionism will cause a lot of unnecessary stress in your life that will eventually damage your heart. When you feel that you are striving for the perfect whatever, repeat to yourself “Good is good enough.”
53. Enjoy your time in silence and solitude.
    Make it a habit to spend some time alone weekly to let your mind float away, your stress dissolve in the air and your heart open to the miracles of the world.
54. Slow down in life.
    Fast paced life leads to depression and stress, it undermines your ability to enjoy time with your family or doing things you love. All these factors are important for a healthy and open heart.
55. Have a “me” break.
    Giving, working, helping, taking care of others are all honorable missions but you need some time for yourself. Do not consider it pampering or selfishness. This is your chance to get reacquainted with yourself and to have some rest from the world around you (no matter how wonderful it might be.)
56. Let yourself relax.
    Being in the “always-ready” condition is very stressful. Let somebody else take care of the kids, order a take-out (not more than twice a month, remember?), take a day off at work and let yourself completely relax. Your heart will enjoy this break from your busy lifestyle.

Happiness and Kindness

57. Surround yourself with positive people.
    Negative friends can drain you and increase your levels of stress. Try to hang out only with positive people and you will notice how your own levels of optimism will shift.
58. Be happy.
    According to a recent study in Nova Scotia, Canada, happiness and general positivity protects heart from any degenerative disease.
59. Laugh.
    Just 15 minutes of laughter daily can boost your blood flow by 22 percent and prevent your arteries from hardening. Call a funny friend or watch a comedy every day.
60. Speak up.
    Bottling up your feelings won’t do your heart or your relationships any favor. If something is bothering you bring it up and resolve the issue once and for all.
61. Do something enjoyable.
    In order to up your happiness levels spend 15-20 minutes a day doing something that you like. Do not abandon it if your schedule gets too busy.
62. Practice random acts of kindness.
    While you are taking care of your physical heart do not forget that you are more complex than a machine. Kind heart is as important as low cholesterol for your health. Be kind for no apparent reason and find deepest joy in this kindness.
63. Savor joyful events.
    If something amazing happens in your life remember this event and go over it when you are feeling down.
64. Practice forgiveness.
    Holding a grudge will harden your heart and close it to the entire world. Forgive people and move on with your life.
65. Visualize your best self.
    If you are not satisfied with yourself then think of what would make you completely happy with yourself. Visualize this picture every day and start taking small steps to reach this goal.
66. Be generous.
    Generosity boosts happiness on an everyday basis. Start small by giving smiles to everybody around you and give as much as your heart wants to.
67. Be positive.
    Both optimists and pessimists have bad days but optimists get over those days quickly while pessimists savor their sufferings and complain about their lives constantly. No matter what the day brings you choose to be positive and concentrate on good things around you.
68. Express your heart’s desires.
    Our creativity is born in our heart and if we suppress any spark of it then we also block our hearts from happiness. Express whatever is born in your heart to keep your heart young and open for life.
69. Show some self love.
    Take care of your needs as much as you take care of others. Even though being generous is a key to keeping your heart young you must still learn to be generous to yourself. Do not be a martyr because the times when it was appreciated are long gone.
70. Say a prayer.
    Open your heart to God and he will take care of you. Say a prayer from your heart and you will feel that any of your burdens have been lifted and your heart will be touched by Him.
71. Practice gratitude.
    Be grateful for what you have and for what will come, be grateful even for what you do not have because chances are that you are better off without it.
72. Try something new.
    Keep your heart open to new experiences by trying something new as often as possible. This practice will keep your heart agile and young for many years and when you are 60, 70 or 100 you will not consider yourself an old wreck. You will be a person who has lived (and is still living) his/her life with a young heart.
73. Follow your passion.
    Following your passion will help you live a more fulfilling life, it will help you fight stress in life and be happy in general. If you can earn living by following your passion then it is great, go for it! But if not, just devote some time in your busy schedule to do what you are passionate about whether it is writing, cooking or just playing with your kids.
74. Help somebody.
    Helping people around you whether these are people you know or complete strangers is the best way to keep your heart open, kind and young. According to the research Peggy Thoits, Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University, volunteering increased happiness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, sense of control over life, physical health, and decreased depression. It is healthy to be good.
75. Kiss, hug, touch.
    Little things like holding hands, hugging, kissing lovingly and cuddling are the signs of a strong couple. Strong couples have better emotional and intellectual connections, they have better and more frequent sex and they have less amounts of stress (which leads to heart disease.) This is a no-brainer, if you want to take care of your heart take care of your relationship and treasure the connection (physical and mental) that you have. By the way, non-sexual hugs and touches with friends or family members have proved to increase happiness and even lower blood pressure (hold a hug for at least 6 seconds.)
76. Be patient.
    Patience brings many benefits but the most heart-healthy one is less stress in your life. You do not have to get mad when you sit in a traffic jam or waste your time standing in a line. Distract yourself with pleasant thoughts about your family, plan your supper ahead of time or think about ideas for a new business.
77. Find your virtues.
    A strong heart is a virtuous heart because this heart knows how to do the right thing for the right reason.

+7

1. Do not let your heart go numb.
   When you feel that you avoid new experiences, new emotions, new adventures because you are scared of pain and disappointment, know that you are intentionally blocking your heart. You are suffocating it by not letting it live and breathe fully. Do not be scared, open up and embrace life (instead of hiding from it.)
2. Share experience with your loved ones.
   Our society has become too materialistic. Our expression of love (or apology) usually has a price tag on it. Money can buy you a comfortable life but it can’t buy you happiness. Spend quality time with the people you care about and enjoy every moment together.
3. See miracles around you.
   Our life is full of miracles that we often do not notice. Train yourself to see those miracles around you (a birth of a child or wonderful butterfly in your yard are both miracles) and you will notice that your life will get more positive.
4. Find the meaning of your life.
   Meaningless life leads to an empty heart and an empty heart has no way of staying healthy and young. Live a meaningful life that fills your heart.
5. Be childlike (not childish).
   Children are honest, joyful, full of energy, open to the world, full of love for the entire world, not scared of anything and absolutely adorable. Play with them, spend as much time with them as possible and learn from them. This is the best way to maintain your youthfulness inside and out.
6. Enjoy your life.
   Focus on enjoying every moment of your life and making every moment count. What is the point of living a life even with a healthy heart if this life is empty and boring? Do things, try things, be brave, lose your fears, love, be passionate and stay positive. Make decisions that you will be proud of and avoid mistakes that you will regret. Make it all count!
7. Be in love.
   Love opens our hearts and makes us bloom all year round. Cherish the love that you have and try to stay in love until the last day of your life.

   Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, delight the heart. And they both take practice. – Nora Roberts

I am not asking you to read the whole list at one time. I just hope that you will bookmark it and get back to it whenever you feel that you can bring a little more balance into your life.

Keep it balanced!

Image by woodleywonderworks

About a year ago I decided to go organic. For a while I tried to buy almost everything organic; everything that had an organic label on it was a must-have for me. After a few trips to the grocery store I realized that 100% organic eating was draining my budget like crazy. If it had continued that way then I wouldn’t have had any money to spend on anything else! That was not a fair choice to make so that is why I decided to conduct my own research and find out really how important organic eating really is.

First of all it’s important to understand why you want to eat organic food. I have heard a lot of different opinions and here are some of them:

• It’s fashionable, everybody is doing it
• It’s environmentally-friendly
• Organic food is diet-friendly
• If it’s organic then I can eat it as much as I want
• Organic food is healthier for me
• Organic food is natural, no additives, no chemicals, no artificial ingredients
• Name your reason here

I have picked organic eating for my family because it is healthier and organic food does not contain chemicals, pesticides and other artificial ingredients that might be dangerous for our health in the long run. I believe in balanced eating, not necessarily in organic eating. In fact organic is often just a label that manufacturers put on their products to lure customers into spending more money (Have you ever seen organic onions? The truth is that there is absolutely no difference between organic and non-organic onions, they are grown absolutely the same and have the same nutritional value. Its’ the same as paying for air. Ridiculous, right?)

When it comes to healthy eating it is important to look at a number of different facts: nutritional value, fat, especially saturated fat and trans fats, fiber, sugar (organic foods are sometimes loaded with sugar too and it is not good for your health), sodium, vitamins and minerals etc. I want to get the best for my family but I do not want to be fooled into paying for a fad. This is the reason why my half-organic or frugal organic approach to eating was born. I have been using this approach ever since and it saves me money without compromising my family’s health and well-being. Here are my 15 tips that will help you control your budget and still be organic:

1. The golden 12 organic rule. These 12 fruits and vegetables are highly contaminated with pesticides so that is why I always go organic with them: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, grapes (imported), carrots, pears. You can find the full list of fruits and vegetables and their pesticide score at Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides
2. Read labels. When you buy processed goods (cookies, bread, lunch meats, cereal etc.) read the label. It’s much more important to know the nutritional value than simply buying something organic. Look for low sodium, low saturated fat, low sugars, and high fiber (if possible of course). For my babies I prefer juices that are enriched with vitamins and calcium and unfortunately I haven’t seen any organic juices that meet these criteria.
3. The 5 line rule. I usually do not buy groceries that have more than 5 lines of ingredients. There are exceptions of course but most of the time these products are loaded with preservatives, artificial flavors and ingredients. I buy only the types of groceries where I can read and understand every word on the ingredients list. A lot of organic foods fall in this category and not many non-organic do.
4. Farmer’s market. The quality of food at a farmer’s market is great and of course everything is organic. Most farmers do not label their food as organic because it is too expensive for them to get certified by the USDA but of course it does not affect the quality of food. This is the reason why it’s much cheaper to buy fresh groceries there than it is at a grocery store. The only drawback of a farmer’s market is that it is open only a few months a year (at least in my area it is).
5. Locally grown produce. If there is no farmer’s market around then I go for the locally grown fruits and veggies at my grocery store.
6. Buy seasonal produce. It might sound tempting to indulge into some fresh strawberries in the middle of winter but I prefer not to do it. First of all produce that is not in season is extremely expensive and secondly its quality is really bad (strawberries taste like grass and peaches are nothing but cotton). You do not get any benefits from these foods; you might be even harming yourself. You can still eat apples, bananas, oranges, potatoes and other produce that grows year round in some parts of the world or that can be stored for a long time. Check out the Seasonal Ingredient Map to find out more.
7. Go organic with meat. I believe that grass-fed beef and free range chickens are the way to go. They taste better, they are leaner, various studies have proved that this meat has higher nutritional value and overall is better for you. I also want animals to be treated humanely even if they are going to end up on my table.
8. Go half-vegetarian. Organic meat is sometimes two times more expensive than non-organic and I know that it keeps some people from buying it. My approach is to eat less meat. I do not want to be a vegetarian (I do not believe that it is part of a balanced diet) but I usually eat meat only 2 times a week or less. This is all the animal protein we need after all.
9. Do not go organic with the basics. Bread, canned beans, canned tomatoes, pasta, and rice – all of these groceries do not have to be organic to be good for you. (Milk is probably the only exception in my opinion.)
10. Go with store brands. A lot of people are afraid of store brands and they are willing to pay extra to get the brand name on their can. I think that a lot of times store brands are even better than popular brands and at the same time they are cheaper. Some grocery stores have organic store brands that are quite affordable in my opinion. Do not be afraid to try something new.
11. Do not buy organic foods from the third world countries. I do not have anything against third world countries (I grew up in one of them after all) but I do not completely trust their farming practices. Non-organic groceries have higher concentration of pesticides if they come from the third world countries than if they come from the US. It makes me wonder how organic their organic food is. Another issue is that a lot of times foods from other countries (and this is especially true about produce) have to spend days just to get to your grocery store. Can you call this produce “fresh”?
12. Use coupons. Most companies that produce organic food offer coupons on their websites. Here are just a few of my favorites and you can google the rest: Organic Valley, Stonyfield Farm, Nature’s path, many more.
13. Become a member of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). For a very reasonable price (in my area it is about $20 a week) local farmers will deliver fresh produce and in some cases dairy and meet to you weekly. I haven’t joined this program yet just because my husband and I are planning to move to another state in the next couple of months. Find your local farmers at Local Harvest.
14. Grow your own produce. I know that it’s not easy but it’s totally worth it. This year my in-laws grew some tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, pumpkins and a few other things in their yard. They also have a big apple tree near the house. These fruits and veggies taste so delicious! Even if you do not have a big yard you can still grow at least a few herbs or onions on your porch.
15. Eat less. This might not be true for everybody but a lot of people nowadays eat much more than they need to (obesity rates have gone out the roof). It is expensive to buy organic groceries but if you try to eat less, then your organic bill won’t be that scary any more.

Organic eating can be frugal and sustainable. You do not have to make a choice between value for your health and value for your wallet. I hope that these 15 tips of frugal organic eating will help you eat healthy without going overboard.

Keep it balanced!

Image by savannahgrandfather

“Organic” is one of the most popular words used nowadays. When you watch TV, read a newspaper or magazine, and browse through your favorite websites you always see this word “organic”. Organic food, organic cosmetics, organic clothes and even organic rugs. Is there anything that cannot be organic? The question that I have about all this organic stuff is “Is it just a fad? Am I being fooled into paying more for regular things? Is it just a way for somebody to make good money on me?”

Let’s look at organic food in particular. Is organic food an essential part of a balanced diet or not? I’ve been asking myself this question for a while now. When I go to the grocery store I want to save as much money as possible without compromising my family’s health. I am often faced with a choice to buy the old-fashioned groceries or pay a few more dollars and buy something organic. A few dollars do not seem like much at first but once you’ve got all your essentials like milk, cereal, meat and produce your bill goes up $50 or more. My question is “Is it really worth it?” I can’t be throwing away money just to follow some fad. Can you?

I was very skeptical about everything organic at first and that is why I decided to conduct my own research about this craze. I have written down cons and pros of organic products to help you make the choice. Here they are:

Pros:

• Organic products do not contain pesticides (here is an interesting research Health benefits of organic food for children).
• Organic meat has less fat.
• Grass-fed (organic) beef is higher in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and linoleic acid, or CLA (Health Benefits of Grass-Fed Products, Don’t Eat Dirty Meat!).
• Goods made of organic ingredients do not contain partially hydrogenated oil (trans fats), high fructose corn syrup and other artificial ingredients.
• Organic food tastes better.
• Organic foods have a higher nutrient concentration (you have to eat less to get your daily amount of vitamins and minerals) (you can read more about it in Study supports benefits of organic food and Organic really is better).
• Organic foods are rich sources of antioxidants – cancer-fighting chemicals (Report Confirms More Health Benefits of Organic food).
• Organic farming is environmentally friendly.
• Animals are treated more humanely.

Cons:

• Organic food is expensive.
• There are a few studies that claim to have not found any difference in nutritional value of organic and non-organic produce.
• Organic juices and cereals have fewer vitamins than non-organic ones. Manufacturers of non-organic goods add vital minerals and vitamins to their products.
• Organic food does not mean fewer in calories or diet-friendly (that’s by far the biggest myth).
• A lot of times organic produce travels half way around the world to get to your supermarket. It’s not environmentally friendly driving, floating or flying that far and I have to doubt the quality of these veggies and fruits that have spent weeks just to get to your fridge.
• A lot of organic products come from third world countries that do not have high farming standards.

Organic foods have more pros than cons though I realize that some of the benefits are vague and unsupported. I think that it’s important to find a balance between value for your pocket and value for your stomach. I truly believe that every piece of food that you put in your mouth must bring you as many benefits as possible. I do not want to regret that I have eaten something that is not good for me. I do not want to give my babies anything that is not 100% safe for them.

When it comes to organic food it’s important to find that golden balance between prudence and foolishness. I am not going to pay extra money just to say that I buy only organic groceries. I do not believe in only organic living nowadays. Some foods are organic by nature and they won’t get any better if you put an organic stamp on them. Some of the examples are bread, canned beans and tomatoes, rice, pasta, bananas, onions, sweet potatoes and many others.

I think that organic eating is an essential part of a balanced nutrition nowadays and I have made it part of my family’s diet. I do not go crazy about organic foods and I practice, what I call, frugal organic eating (read my tips on frugal organic eating). I take the best of both worlds, organic and non-organic, without wasting extra money at the grocery store. If you want to eat healthy without going bankrupt then I am sure that half-organic is the way to go. Be smart about what you put in your shopping cart and in your mouth and

Keep it balanced!

Do you remember this nursery rhyme from your childhood?

What are little boys made of?
What are little boys made of?
Frogs and snails,
And puppy-dogs’ tails;
That’s what little boys are made of.

What are little girls made of?
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice,
And all that’s nice;
That’s what little girls are made of.

It was one of my favorite nursery rhymes when I was little. I thought it wasreally funny to imagine a little boy with a snail instead of the nose and frogs jumping on his head. And girls in my head always looked like cupcakes or cinnamon bread rolls.

This nursery rhyme came into my head a few days ago and I asked myself “What are guys made of? What are girls made of?” Probably people are made mostly of what they eat today (read You are what you eat). A recent study at the University of California-Berkeley has found what most Americans are made of – CORN. Scientists tested a strand of hair of an average American and the carbon in that hair was 69% from corn. I guess you can say that hair was 69% corn. When they compared it to a strand of hair of an average European – it had only a 5% level of corn.

Americans consume waaaaay too much corn and most of it comes from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) that is added into most store-bought goods. There is nothing wrong with corn itself – it’s a natural product that has been present in diets of Americans for many centuries but moderation is the key as usual. Eating a few ears of corn a week, eating grits for breakfast and using corn starch – that’s all natural and does not bring any harm to your body. However when you add corn to any meal that you eat during the day (you can find HFCS in soft drinks, yogurt, bread, cereal, salad dressing and barbecue sauce, cookies, ready-to-eat meals, frozen dinners, ice cream, and a million of other products) you go beyond the limits of moderation.

I almost felt like I was one of those cows that are fed corn to make them fat and big in just a few months. But cows have a mission in their lives: end up on your plate. And farmers who raise those cows also have a mission: to bring those cows to your plate as fast as possible. Nutritionists today say that corn-fed beef is higher in unhealthy saturated fat than grass-fed cows and contains muscle-building hormones whose safety for humans remains under debate. Nobody knows what will actually happen to a corn-fed cow if it’s not killed after it is 15 months old (that’s the average life span of a meat cow). Another thing, it’s not humane to feed cows only corn and to let them spend their entire life (no matter how short t is) in tiny feedlots.

Then why are people fed corn in any way possible? Well first of all it is much cheaper for the food industry to use corn syrup derived products because corn syrup can be transported much cheaper than regular sugar. Most corn syrup is actually transported through large pipes from one place to another which saves the food corporations a lot of money in comparison with paying someone to drive a truck load of sugar somewhere. Secondly, although there is a lot of debate and nothing has been 100% proven in regards to whether a corn-rich diet is unhealthy for humans, it still makes me wonder what this is doing to our bodies. If you follow raw logic wouldn’t you think “A corn-rich diet (cows get 70 to 90% of their calories from corn) is unhealthy and even deadly for cows. Wouldn’t it have the same effect on me?”

These are just a few things to consider the next time that you go to the grocery store. My family is not made out of corn any more. We have eliminated high fructose corn syrup as well as regular corn syrup from our diet and we watch what we eat at all times.

Are you still made out of corn? Make your choice and

Keep your life balanced!

You have probably heard the phrase “balanced diet” or “balanced nutrition” about a hundred times in your life and you’ve been wondering “What exactly does a balanced diet consist of? How do I start on my way to balanced nutrition?” If you are at this point then accept my congratulations because you are already on your way to a balanced diet. You are a great and awesome person because you realize the importance of balancing your diet and this balance goes beyond your stomach. This is a balance of your entire body, the balance of your mind and soul and balance with the world around you. In this the phrase “You are what you eat” becomes almost a motto of a modern society.

Just a few days ago I came across a great picture show called “You are what you eat”. Frankly speaking, the snake in the fridge and that enormous amount of meat freaked me out a little bit . It made me look at my own fridge from a completely new perspective. What would people think about me if they saw the contents of my fridge? Well, here is how it looks and you may decide for yourself.
Our food reflects our lifestyle and at the same time it affects our lifestyle. Certain foods will make you feel energized and ready for action and certain foods will make you tired and bloated. I can’t imagine going for a jog after a PizzaHut pizza and especially after a Hardee’s Monster Thickburger (108g of fat in one of those things….uuuuggh!) whereas whole wheat cereal or oatmeal in the morning will make me ready to face any challenges of the day and be agile and full of vitality throughout the day.

Unless you are a nutrition specialist or spend all your time sifting through millions of articles about proper diets then you are probably lost in the ocean of information available today. One day you will hear that you have to give up all dairy products because your body cannot process lactose, the next day the same experts say that dairy contains nutrients that your body cannot function without. One day eggs are our biggest enemies, the next day they are actually very good for you. I personally get lost in all these facts and findings all the time and keeping up with all of them is a really hard work. This is the exact reason why I use small steps to balance my diet every day. No matter if you want to lose weight or just start feeling better balanced nutrition will help you.

If you want to balance your diet then you probably want to see results as fast as possible while making as few changes as possible. Today I asked myself “If I knew that I could make only two changes to my diet that would bring the most benefits, what would these changes be?” I can’t say that it was an easy question and I had to scratch my head for quite a while in search of an answer. But if you are ready for just two changes then here you go.

Ban trans fats

Let’s put it simple: trans fats are bad for you from every angle that you look at them. Most of the trans fats in your diet come from partially hydrogenated oil that is added in almost any type of baked or fried food (especially the ones that you buy at the store). Here are a few reasons why you should ban trans fats from your diet:

• trans fats seriously lower your good (HDL) cholesterol and dramatically increase your bad (LDL) cholesterol that leads to major artery clogging and cardiovascular disease;
• trans fats cause or contribute to type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance;
• trans fats make you fat. Consuming trans fats leads to redistribution of fat tissue in your body forming the dreaded tire shape fat ring that so many of us have around our midsection. Trans fats also cause you to gain more weight than a diet without trans fats (when total caloric intake is equal).

There is a new study that comes out about the harm of trans fats almost every month and each of these studies just shows one more area of your life and your health that is affected by partially hydrogenated oil. I once read that trans fats work like glue in your arteries: once they get there all the bad stuff starts sticking to them and filling your body with junk (that’s not the most scientific explanation but it makes you understand what these fats do to your body). No matter if you want to lose weight or if you want to lower your cholesterol, if you want to prevent diabetes or if you want to keep your ticker going strong for many years, eliminating trans fats (partially hydrogenated oil) out of your diet will be the way to go.

How to ban trans fats: START READING. The next time you go to the store read all labels and make sure that groceries that you buy do not contain this junk. It might be difficult at first to give up your favorite cookie (good news: Oreos are perfectly healthy from this point of view ) but you will find much better alternatives. You can find a few trans-fat free products at the end of this article.

Forget about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

There is still a debate going on now whether HFCS is really bad for you or just moderately bad for you. Even search engines seem to have different opinions on this issue. If you type in “high fructose corn syrup” in Google and Yahoo then Google will give HFCS-friendly results while Yahoo will give you all risks of this sweetener. That’s funny from my point of view and I like Yahoo better anyway

The proponents of HFCS say that it is basically liquid sugar that poses the same risks as regular sugar. Modern research however proves that HFCS contains mercury (a compound that is toxic for your body), it alters the feeling of satiety (your brain does not get the signal that you are full), contributes to high blood pressure, obesity, inflammation in the arteries, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. Well, it may not be true according to some researchers but other say it is. Either way I do not want to be a part of an experiment and do not want to live my life thinking “Am I not feeling well because of HFCS or not? Am I going to have heart disease caused by HFCS at 50 or not?” (want to know more about HFCS? – Americans Are Made out of Corn) Another reason to give up high fructose corn syrup is because it will help you cut down your overall intake of sugar (and it is not healthy for you anyway). Most sweet products today contain HFCS and if you decide to ban HFCS from your diet then you will probably decrease your sugar intake by at least 50% (this is my personal assumption).

How to ban HFCS: the advice is the same – START READING. If the product that you pick up at the supermarket contains high fructose corn syrup as one of the first ingredients on the list (syrup, most jellies, chocolate syrup, soft drinks, sugary cereal) then you should definitely put this product right where you’ve found it. It’s not the best addition to a balanced diet. Check out HFCS-free products at the end of the article.

The first two steps to a balanced diet will be the most difficult ones simply because you will have to get ready for changes. After you are done with these two steps everything else will be a hundred times easier. Be gentle to yourself and give yourself some time for the transition. It might take you a week or it might take you a month to ban trans fats and high fructose corn syrup from your diet but after you are done the biggest part of the balanced nutrition challenge will be over with. Remember You are what you eat and this saying has never been more realistic than today!

Keep it balanced!

P.S. Here are a few balanced diet foods (no trans fats or HFCS)

Breakfast:

Nature’s Path Crunch
Kashi Black Currants and walnuts
Cheerios
Quaker Oatmeal
Nature’s Path Waffles
Stonyfield farm Low-fat Yogurt
Organic real maple Syrup (it’s expensive but it’s well worth it)

Lunch

Hormel Natural Choice Ham
JFG Real Mayonnaise
Nature’s Own Double Fiber Bread
Nature’s Own 7 Whole Grain Bread
Campbell’s Select Harvest Italian Style Vegetable
Campbell’s Select Harvest Southwestern Style Vegetable
Campbell’s Select Harvest Maryland Style Crab
Campbell’s Select Harvest Savory Chicken with Vegetables
Famous Amos Pecan and Chocolate Chip Cookies
Famous Amos Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Oreos
Fig Newtons

Dinner

I am not a big fan of frozen dinners and most of the time I use all natural ingredients to cook supper (check out my cheap and healthy grocery list). However when I am pressed with time here are a few options that are healthy and fast at the same time:

Kashi Lime Cilantro Shrimp
Kashi Chicken Pasta Pomodoro
Newman’s Own Margherita Thin & Crispy Pizza
Rice-a-Roni Whole Grain Blends Chicken and Herb Classico
Rice-A-Roni Savory Whole Grain Blends Roasted Garlic Italiano
Newman’s Own Marinara Sauce
Breyers All Natural Ice Cream

Not sure how to cook healthy and easy meals at home? Check out my 4-week healthy cooking challenge:

Healthy Meals on a Budget – Week1
Healthy Meals on a Budget – Week2
Healthy Meals on a Budget – Week3
Healthy Meals on a Budget – Week4

This is definitely not a complete list of healthy meals and ingredients for your entire health diet but it will help you with your first few steps towards a balanced diet. These are just a few things that you can find in my fridge and pantry at all times and that help me stay away from trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. I will be happy to hear what trans-fat-free and HFCS-free products you use in your diet and I will definitely add those products to my list. Don’t be afraid to leave a comment and share your experience of balanced eating.

Gain Weight the Healthy Way

• Exercise will help you grow muscle and get a balanced and proportioned body.
• Start a food diary. This will help you track your calories and control your meals.
• Eat 5-6 times a day. Every day you must eat 3 full meals and 2-3 snacks between them.
• Eat more servings from the Food Guide Pyramid. Each food group in the Food Guide Pyramid suggests a range of servings to choose from. Go for the higher end of each range: 6 – 11 servings each day of breads, cereals, rice and pasta; 3 – 5 servings of vegetables; 2 – 4 servings of fruits; 2 – 3 servings of milk, yogurt and cheese and 2 – 3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts.
• Have balanced meals that include 60%-70% carbohydrates, 10%-15% protein and a small amount of fat.
• Choose foods that are high in nutrients, vitamins and calories as opposed to those high in sugars and fat. Here a few tips to get you started:

SNACKS

• Add powdered milk to smoothies or blender drinks.
• Snack on crackers, peanut butter and granola bars.
• Munch on trail mix (dry cereal, nuts, pretzels, dried fruit).
• Eat fresh vegetables with dip.
• Choose bananas, mangos, and avocados for snacks.
• Make pudding with whole milk.
• Snack on rolled up tortillas with melted cheese and beans.

MEALS

• Use milk when making hot cereals and soups.
• Add cheese or eggs to mashed potatoes.
• Use whole milk dairy products instead of low-fat ones.
• Add powdered milk to meatloaf.
• Add cheese to sandwiches and salads.
• Eat baked potatoes with sour cream, cottage cheese or grated cheese.
• Add beans to salads or pasta dishes.

Keep it balanced!

Extra ingredient for the week:
Cabbage. Most Americans eat this vegetable only in cold slaw once or twice a month and do not even imagine how much they are missing. Let’s start from the fact that this vegetable is very low in calories (just 22 kcal in one cup) and high in fiber. Apart from the fact that cabbage has a ton of vitamins and minerals, this vegetable is also rich in sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is a chemical that helps your body disarm cell-damaging free radicals and reduces your risk of cancer. This chemical is considered to be the strongest of all plant chemicals in its cancer-fighting properties.

Monday
Chicken and cabbage stir fry
Ingredients
1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
1/3 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar (preferably rice vinegar)
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound chicken breast, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 small head white or Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
2-5 tablespoons water
2 medium carrots, grated

Directions
Whisk peanut butter, orange juice, soy sauce and vinegar in a medium bowl until smooth.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until browned and barely pink in the middle, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Reduce heat to medium. Swirl in the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Add cabbage and 2 tablespoons water; cook, stirring, until beginning to wilt, 3 to 5 minutes. Add carrots (and more water if necessary to prevent sticking or burning) and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 3 minutes more. Return the steak and any accumulated juices to the pan, then pour in the peanut sauce and toss to combine. Serve over brown rice.

Tuesday
Southwestern black bean salad
Ingredients
2 cups whole kernel corn, frozen
1/3 cup pine nuts (optional)
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 (15oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded red cabbage (red cabbage or white cabbage)
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup minced red onion

Directions
Cook corn in boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, place pine nuts (if you are using them) in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk together lime juice, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the corn, pine nuts, beans, tomato and onion; toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with warm corn tortillas or with warm brown rice.

Wednesday
Mediterranean chicken, beans and rice salad
Ingredients
1 large chicken breast (2 halves)
4 cups brown rice, cooked
6 large leaks of Romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
1 large tomato, cubed
1 (14.5 oz) can black or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup reduced-fat red wine dressing or Italian dressing
1/2 cup cheese, shredded

Directions
Cook chicken on the grill or bake it in the oven, then cut it into cubes. In a large salad bowl toss Romaine lettuce with dressing. Combine warm rice with beans; divide them evenly between 4 plates. Top each entree with dressed lettuce, tomato, cheese and chicken.

Thursday
Italian peasant soup
Ingredients
2 (14.5 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
4 cups shredded white or Savoy cabbage (1/2 medium head)
3 cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 clove garlic, halved
3 14 1/2-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth or 5 1/4 cups vegetable broth
Freshly ground pepper to taste
8 1/2-inch-thick slices day-old whole-wheat country bread
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese or 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions
Mash 1 1/2 cups beans with a fork. Heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cabbage and minced garlic; cook, stirring often, until the cabbage has wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, mashed beans and whole beans; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with pepper.
3. Shortly before the soup is ready, toast bread lightly and rub with the cut side of the garlic clove (lightly or heavily depending on taste). Divide toast among 8 soup plates. Ladle soup over the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon oil over each serving. Serve immediately.

Friday
Chili beans
Ingredients
1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 tbs olive or canola oil
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2-2 cups water
Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until it is translucent. Add ground turkey and cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients including water and simmer for 30 minutes.

Saturday
Bow-tie salad
Ingredients
1 pound bow-tie whole wheat pasta
2 cloves garlic
1 lb frozen green beans
1 big tomato, cubed or 8 oz grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup frozen corn
6 oz cheese cubes
Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper
salt
1 tbs dried basil or 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tbs olive oil
juice of one lemon

Directions
Cook green beans and corn in salted water. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box in boiling water with two cloves of garlic. Combine cooked pasta, green beans, corn, cheese and tomatoes. Whisk together all of the ingredients of the dressing and pour it over pasta salad. Serve warm or cold.

Sunday
Chicken with refried beans

Ingredients
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound chicken tenders or chicken breast cut into 2 inch strips
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped or a few dashes of hot sauce
2 (15 oz) cans white beans, rinsed
3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Combine cumin, coriander, pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and saute until golden brown and just cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add onion and jalapenoor hot sauce and cook until beginning to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes and any accumulated juices from the chicken; cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the bean mixture to a medium bowl and mash with a potato masher until creamy but still slightly chunky. Stir in cheese. Serve with the chicken. You can top it with shredded cabbage and carrots, mixed with Italian style dressing.

Bonus meal
Spaghetti with fish
Ingredients
1 (14.5 oz) box whole wheat spaghetti
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
10 oz halibut fillet, cut in strips
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs dried parsley
2 tbs olive oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced
Black pepper and salt to taste

Directions
Heat olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high heat, add garlic cloves and cook for 30 sec. Add diced tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes. Place halibut strips into the skillet, add lemon juice, parsley, pepper and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Cook spaghetti al dente according to the directions on the box. Combine spaghetti with fish, toss together and serve immediately.

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Keep it balanced!

Cheap and healthy grocery list for a bad economy
Healthy meals on a budget – Week 1
Healthy meals on a budget – Week 2
Healthy Meals on a Budget – Week 4

Extra Ingredient for the week:
Mushrooms are very rich foods from the point of nutritional value. These little guys contain one of the most unique combinations of nutrients that can be found in the vegetable world (though mushrooms are not vegetables from the scientific point of view; they are a type of fungus). Mushrooms contain important ingredients like selenium, copper and many useful vitamins. Selenium is used in our bodies for the proper function of the antioxidant system that fights free radicals; copper helps to relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and strengthens blood vessels. Vitamins in the B group play an important role in the body’s energy production and at the same time reduce cholesterol levels and prevent osteoarthritis. If it wouldn’t have been enough, mushrooms are also abundant in phytonutrients that have been objects of anti-cancer research in the past few years. The research found that these phytonutrients can prevent breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.

Another extra ingredient for the week is Parmesan cheese. Shredded or grated cheese will be good enough.

Monday
Mexican style spaghetti
Ingredients
8 oz whole wheat spaghetti, broken
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn or 1 can whole kernel corn
2 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
1 Jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional) or a few dashes hot sauce
2 tbs olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, diced
¼ cup shredded cheese (optional)
1 tbs Mexican style seasoning

Directions
Cook spaghetti al dente according to the directions on the box.
Meanwhile heat olive oil in a large skillet, add onions and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add corn, tomato sauce, Mexican seasoning, jalapeno pepper or hot sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes. Combine mushroom-tomato sauce with spaghetti and sprinkle with cheese.

Tuesday
Curried chicken with rice
Ingredients
12 oz chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbs cooking oil
1 to 2 tsp curry powder
1 cup chicken broth or water
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large coarsely chopped apple (optional)
1 tbs cornstarch
Ground black pepper to taste
1 cup brown rice

Directions
Cook rice according to the directions on the box.
In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add curry powder and cook stirring for 30 seconds. Add chicken or cook until chicken is browned. Slowly add broth or water, onion, and pepper (add salt if you are using water). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Add apples and cook for additional 5 minutes. Combine cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water; add to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly, after that cook for 2 more minutes. Serve over warm rice.

Wednesday
Rice and Black Bean pilaf
Ingredients
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (you can substitute it with water)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dries parsley
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 ½ cups mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes (or powder)
1 (15.5 oz) can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions
Cook rice in chicken broth or in water for 30-35 minutes. If you are using water, then add a pinch of salt to the rice.
In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until they are translucent. Add carrots, mushrooms, dried parsley and oregano, cumin, chili and cook stirring occasionally until carrots are tender (about 6 minutes). Drain and rinse beans and add them to the skillet. Cook for additional 2-3 minutes.
Combine rice with vegetables and toss to combine. Serve warm.

Tip: To create a complete dinner, steam cook broccoli and sprinkle them with shredded cheese and black pepper.

Thursday
Pasta Pizza
Ingredients
2 cups dried whole wheat rotini (you can use any other pasta that you have at home)
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup milk
2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce (you can use Pizza sauce or Italian style diced tomatoes)
1 teaspoon dries Italian seasoning
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tomato, sliced
1/8 to 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions
Cook pasta al dente according to the directions on the box. Drain and rinse with cold water.
In a large mixing bowl combine egg, milk, and Parmesan cheese. Stir in cooked pasta. Spread this mixture evenly in a greased 12-inch pizza pen. Bake in 350 degrees F oven for 20 minutes.
In a large skillet cook turkey meat, onion and garlic until meat is brown. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning and red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.
Spread meat mixture over baked crust. Put mushroom and tomato slices on top of it and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Friday
Mushrooms and peas pasta
Ingredients
8 ounces whole-wheat pasta, such as fusilli or rotini
3 cups frozen green peas
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces sliced ham, diced (you can use smoked or oven roasted turkey instead)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups quartered cremini or white button mushrooms (about 6 ounces)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (or water)
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup shredded cheese
Black pepper to taste

Directions
In a large pot cook pasta and peas for 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet, add ham or turkey and cook for about 5 minutes, until it begins to brown. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes. After that sprinkle flour over mushrooms, stir in wine and simmer for 1 minute. Add broth or water, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in milk and cheese, sprinkle with cheese and cook until all cheese has melted.
Drain peas and pasta and combine with mushroom sauce.

Saturday
Pasta Fagioli
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, quartered then halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (29 oz) can diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
5 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans
1 (15 oz) can navy beans (you can use any other beans that you have at home)
1 cup frozen green beans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 oz whole wheat shells or elbow macaroni

Directions
In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Stir in diced tomatoes, water, beans (all three types), oregano, parsley, basil and Parmesan cheese. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour.
Cook macaroni in salted water until al dente (8-10 minutes); drain. Stir in tomato and bean soup.

Sunday
Chicken stuffed with carrots and garlic with mashed potatoes
Ingredients
2 chicken breast halves
1 carrot, cut into thin 1 inch strips
8 big garlic cloves cut into strips
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1-1 1/2 cups water

Directions
Cook mashed potatoes with the skin.
Cut each chicken beast half into 2 or 3 thick pieces. Make small cuts in chicken and insert pieces of garlic and carrots into them (each piece of chicken must have at least 8 cuts). Rub meat with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet, add chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side (till chicken is slightly brown). Add water, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Bonus Meal
Spanish style rock fish
Ingredients
1-1 1/2 lbs rock fish (you can substitute it with cod or halibut fillets)
1 (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp parsley
1 tbs olive oil

Directions
Cut fish fillets in 2-inch-wide pieces. Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook fish over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side.
Preheat oven to 420 degrees F. Place fish fillets in a baking dish, put onions and mushrooms on top of them and pour tomato sauce over it. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs, cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Serve over brown rice.

Keep it balanced!