True Life Blog

Certainly there is no shortage of advice on nutrition and healthy eating but with all the media hype surrounding many “health foods,” it can be hard for a woman to tell the nutrients from advertising ploys. Women are sometimes led to believe that a specific food is healthier than it really is or that they need some exotic or expensive form of certain nutrients to gain benefits.

From the advertising that says a product has “no cholesterol” it’s still can be loaded with bad fats or tons of calories. You have to read the whole label, look at all the ingredients and the portion sizes, before you know for sure just how healthy a food is. To help the women to have a healthy lifestyle, here are the six hearty foods they say for every woman needs.

Super Food # 1: Low-fat yogurt

Goal: 3 to 5 servings a week

What it does: Yogurt is good health itself and it continues to accumulate its benefits in many new and exciting ways. And not just yogurt, any fermented dairy product, including kefir, contains healthy “probiotics” – bacteria with the power to protect you in myriad ways.

Yogurt may decrease the risk of breast cancer and it can reduce problems associated with irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory digestive tract disorders, both conditions that impact women more than men. In addition to that, it can also help reduce the risk of stomach ulcers and vaginal infections.

A cup of yogurt is loaded with bone-healthy calcium, something every woman needs more of at every age. One cup of yogurt has about 448 mg of calcium, compared to just 300 for eight ounces of skim milk. Choose a low fat yogurt with live cultures, like Lactobacillus acidophilus and skip the fruit-on-the-bottom or other flavored varieties.

Super Food # 2: Fatty fish – like salmon, sardines, and mackerel

Goal: 2 to 3 servings every week

What it does: The fish has a healthy factor called omega-3 fatty acids, and specifically two types known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).

A fatty fish not only plays a vital role in the health of the membrane of every cell in our body, it also helps protect us from a number of key health threats. Some of those threats include heart disease, stroke, hypertension, depression, joint pain, and a number of illnesses linked to inflammation, including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and may even offer some protection against Alzheimer’s disease.

Walnuts and flaxseed oil has an omega-3 acid known as ALA – alpha-linoleic acid, that it is certainly good for women but requires a process in the body to convert it to DHA. And that conversion process can be influenced by a variety of individual factors.

The good news is there as new products supplemented with DHA such as ready-to-drink milk product and egg fortified with DHA, a certain brands of soymilk, and making a way to the market is a cereal fortified with DHA.

Super Food # 3: Beans

Goal: 3 to 4 servings every week

What it does: Beans are a good source of protein and fiber. They are among one of the healthiest things a woman can eat.

Beans and lentils in particular, have protective effects against breast cancer. Doctors also found a relationship between a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and a higher intake of legumes. It can help lower cholesterol, while their level of a nutrient known as isoflavone can help in the regulation of hormones and may aid with PMS, perimenopause, or menopause symptoms. Lastly, it does does give a steady supply of folic acid essential to women’s pregnancy.

Super Food # 4: Tomatoes (or watermelon, red grapefruit, red navel oranges)

Goal: 3 to 5 servings each week

What it does: The powerhouse nutrient in all these fruits is lycopene. While it said to have a protective effects against prostate cancer, it has shown also it has tremendous health benefits for women as well.

Research is starting to show that lycopene may protect against breast cancer and it’s also a powerful antioxidant that can help a woman fight heart disease. It may also help keep you looking younger longer by protecting against UV damage from the sun.

Super Food # 5: Vitamin D fortified low fat milk or orange juice

Goal: At least 400 IUs of vitamin D daily

What it does: Experts say fortified foods, such as milk, are the best source of Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis and may be vital in reducing the risk of diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and tumors of the breast, colon, and ovary. It has the potential to prevent up to one–half of all breast, colon, and ovarian cancer.

A combination of staying out of the sun (which the body uses to manufacture vitamin D) and using sunscreen, which blocks the synthesis of vitamin D, has resulted in many women hitting a dangerously low level of Vitamin D.

Super Food # 6: Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries)

Goal: 3 to 4 servings every week

What It Does: Berries may protect your body with powerful anti-cancer nutrients known as anthocyans, which are believed to play a role in cell repair. This anthocyans may decrease the risk of several cancers, including those in the breast and gastrointestinal tract.

Berries are also high in vitamin C and folic acid, which is essential for all women in their childbearing years. And they offer powerful anti-oxidant protection, which not only protects the heart but also may protect against skin aging, from the inside out. Cranberries may help reduce the risk of urinary tract infections in women, while the nutrient, lutein found in all the berries, can help protect vision.

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Learn more about Safe & Healthy Dog Food

Today’s pet food market is larger and more diverse than ever before. While this offers a large number of choices in various types of pet food, it also presents a dilemma in choosing the healthiest food for your dog. Are generic or store brands suitable for a dog? What about familiar name brands like Purina and Alpo? Are the pricier brands that advertise specially formulated ingredients (Science Diet, Eukanuba) really living up to their claims and worth the extra money? All of these are valid questions that loving dog owners deserve to have answered.
Dog Food Considerations
There are several factors to consider when choosing the right food for your dog. Different dogs have different nutritional needs at different stages in their lives. Some things to consider when selecting the food you’ll give your dog follow.
• The Dog’s Age
Puppies have different nutritional requirements than adult dogs just as human children have different needs than adult people. Senior dogs also have different requirements than younger adult dogs. Make sure that you select a food that is appropriate for your dog’s stage in life.
• The Dog’s Health
Does your dog have a specific medical condition? If so, the food you choose may need to be partially dictated by that condition. Diabetic dogs need low-glucose foods and dogs with specific allergies (yes dogs can be allergic to all sorts of things, just like people) may require certain foods as well. Your veterinarian can help you choose foods that are appropriate for a dog with a specific medical condition.
• The Dog’s Size or Body Type
Some dogs are overweight. Some dogs are underweight. Some have a natural tendency to get lots of exercise while others tend to prefer to lie around a lot. There are, of course, small, medium, and large dogs as well as the ultra-tiny “toy” dogs. All of these different types of dogs will have different requirements for the type of food they need as well as how much of it.
• Your Budget
Dog food can be expensive, there’s no doubt about it. And where dog food is concerned, the rule really is “you get what you pay for.” Low cost generics and store brands will lighten the burden on your wallet, but may not be the healthiest choice for your dog as they are made with cheap ingredients and lots of fillers. You should buy the best dog food you can on your budget to help ensure your dog’s nutrition.

Learn more about Safe & Healthy Dog Food

author:Kirsten Hawkins
source_url:http://www.articlecity.com/articles/pets_and_animals/article_82.shtml

Save your dogs health! Click Here

I agree, its best to cook for your pet. I saw a segment on Martha Stewart recently about overweight pets and they said the cause is that most dry dog food contains mostly corn products and little nutrition. Then you add the recent scares with commercial pet food, you must do what is best for your pet! I was so glad when I found Dog Food Secrets on the web.

“Dog Food Secrets” is a must read for anyone who truely loves their dog. Dog Food Secrets teaches you the real dangers of commercial dog food. Thousands of dogs in the United States get sick or die every day because of the dog food they are eating. Many of these dogs die painful deaths and much earlier than expected. Despite many companies marketing, there are very few commercial dog foods which are actually healthy. Labels on dog food packages which say either “preservative-free”, “chemical-free”, or “all-natural ingredients” are not always telling the truth. Dog Food Secrets exposes much of this mis-information. Most dog food companies use preservatives in their dog food products is because they increase the shelf life of the dog food and maximizes the dog food companies profits. Many dog foods contain at least six deadly chemicals that have been banned from human foods. These chemicals have been known to cause the following health problems in humans: skin cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, spleen cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, liver dysfunction, birth defects, immune system collapse, leukemia, severe allergic reactions, blindness, hair loss, chronic diarrhea, major organ failure, and behavioral problems.

The food you choose to feed your dog directly affects his energy level and overall health. I would strongly suggest that anyone who loves their dog should stop feeding them commercial dog food unless they are 100% sure that the dog food they are buying is healthy for their dog. Dog Food Secrets not only teaches you how terrible commercial dog food can be, but they also teach you of healthy alternatives. They also give you a huge collection of healthy, well-balanced dog food recipes. Dog Food Secrets also gives you a list of healthy commercial dog foods. Basically the Dog Food Secrets course is a step-by-step survival guide which helps your dog to live a longer and healthier life.

The Dog Food Secrets package can be purchased online for as little $27.00. Also Dog Food Secrets offers an 8 week full money back guarantee, with no questions asked. The Dog Food Secrets course is great because not only does it show you all negative things that could harm your dog, but it also shows you all the positive things you can do to make your dog even healthier.

Here is a recipe for Chicken Liver Cookies for your dog:

* 2 cups Flour

* 3 tbs. Vegetable oil

* 1 cup wheat germ or cornmeal if wheat allergies are a problem

* 1 egg, lightly beaten

* 1/2 cup chicken broth

* 2 tsp. parsley

* 1 cup cooked chicken liver, chopped

Combine flour and wheat germ. In separate bowl, beat egg with oil, then add broth & parsley, mix well. Add the dry ingredients to bowl a little at a time, stirring well. Fold in chicken livers and mix well. Dough will be firm. Turn dough out on lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Roll out 1/2″ thick and cut into shapes. Place on greased cookie sheet 1″ apart. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes or until firm. Store in refrigerator.

Here’s a link for anyone who really loves their dog and would like to purchase the Dog Food Secrets program:

http://kindkidz.dogsecrets.hop.clickbank.net/

Since Halloween is my favorite holiday, I thought I’d share something about one of my all-time favorite candies.

Candy corn!

Yeah, I know…most people think they’re disgusting, but for some reason I can eat them until my stools look like a colorful swirl of white, orange and yellow.

Thinking about candy corn makes me remember a childhood memory about the time I decided to play a trick on my mother.

Let me preface this by saying that as a child, I was constantly making up heinous stories to freak out my parents.

I was a festive little storyteller who was a combination of Hans Christian Andersen and Freddy Krueger.

From the moment I was born I knew I was going to be an actor, so I used every second of my childhood to practice the art of LYING.

Like for instance, one time I told my mother I accidentally swallowed a domino while playing with it. I ran into the kitchen very dramatically, grabbing my throat; making choking sounds while my face turned from red to blue. She totally freaked and started slapping the back of my head in the hopes of dislodging it. Finally, I started laughing and said, “I’m only kidding!”

And one time around Halloween, I suddenly noticed that the white tip of a candy corn resemble the tip of a cuspid tooth. So, I cleverly broke off the tip and ran to my mother with one hand covering my mouth and the other hand holding the candy in an open palm; screeching, “Look…Look…I tripped and fell, hitting my mouth on the edge of the coffee table and it chipped off the end of my tooth!”

Let me just say….she was not the slightest bit amused.

I also enjoy Halloween because of getting dressed up in a costume and going to a party. Sadly, I hardly do it anymore, other than getting dress up at work. My greatest joy now, is watching all the little kids walking through the city streets and also the store I work in.

Here are a few photos of some past Halloween costumes….

The year I dressed up as the Greek mythology character – Pan.

The year Cats was popular on Broadway, I decided to be a cat. The cute bunny you see standing next to me grabbing my tail, was a girl I worked with.

*Right after this photo was taken….I scratched both her eyes out.

Me, as Norma Desmond from the movie Sunset Boulevard.

Aren’t I pretty…..ugly?

This years costume…..Ronnie, a child of the corn.

Happy Halloween everyone….Boo!

X

A few nights ago I was sitting at this computer and thinking about the awesome people who stop by here and how much I enjoy communicating with all of you.

I feel so freakin’ blessed sharing with the BEST of the BEST people.

And the thing I enjoy most of all, is that everyone who comes here is uniquely different.

I’ve never been someone who only enjoys surrounding myself with people who have the same interests. I would much rather be surrounded with a potpourri of people from all walks of life, occupations, talents, interests and beliefs, because it takes me outside of myself; viewing the world through someone else’s experiences.

Sure, it’s fun to be with like-minded people sometimes, but I find it much more interesting to be with unlike-minded people.

We as bloggers spend a great deal of time getting to know one another by sharing our lives through words and images on posts, and then responding to them through something called comments.

I’ve realized over these past four years, it’s not how many comments I receive on a post, but rather the quality of communication within the comment because this is where our relationships are formed.

And for this I want to thank you, because you all give of yourselves with a tremendous amount of quality when commenting.

And I’m not talking about the amount of words you use, but rather the amount of energy you place behind the words.

Because I can feel it.

And it feels great.

So, thank you everyone.

For being the coolest, nicest, open, sharing, and unique bunch of people in blogland.

You make my blogging experience….the BEST!

Couldn’t you just see this item sitting amongst all your stainless steel William-Sonoma kitchen appliances?

I put this one on my Christmas Wish List, so if any of you would like to purchase this for me, please feel free to contact me via email and I will send you my mailing address. I’m thinking that perhaps this is a Kitty Mac?

And isn’t this item a must-have? I guess it’s for those fans who want to design a Hello Kitty Couture line.

One part photographer, One part storyteller, Two parts old soul….

It’s only been recently I discovered Penny’s blog. She was kind enough to stop by and introduce herself to me, and since then I’ve become a big fan of hers.

For a blog with the name Picture Imperfect, every single photograph I’ve ever seen…is pure perfection.

I’ve always admired people who are talented with a camera. Yet, it’s not only Penny’s ability to capture the most breathtakingly beautiful images, but also her gift for surrounding those images with enlightening dialogue.

It’s almost as if the images she captures speak to her/us about how to view life.

Her blog has an uplifting quality.

I always feel blessed when I visit; taking with me something special.

So, it is with great pride and pleasure that introduce you to the talented lady behind the blog, Picture Imperfect.

Welcome Penny…..

When did your love of photography begin?

I’ve loved taking pictures since I was a kid. I can’t remember what my first camera was, or the first picture I ever captured; that’s how many there have been of both over the years. I really started to work at learning some of the more technical aspects over the last three years and my love has grown with my knowledge. It started with my second or third point and shoot digital camera. I realized how much I loved capturing that almost perfect shot and how rewarding it was to go out and practice different techniques out in the bush and on the side of the road. Since then, the photo treks have gotten more adventurous and I think my skill has developed too. The ultimate reward!

Are you self-taught or have you had some form of education?

I am a hybrid of both, actually. I haven’t ever taken a class. And to be honest, I’ve never even looked at a photography magazine or book. It is on my list of things to do this winter, though. The only reading I’ve done is all of my camera manuals, from cover to cover.

I have a couple of friends who I really like to go out and take pictures with, and I learn lots from them. We share our ideas and techniques and talk about different equipment and options. I learn vast amounts from talking with people I’ve met in various forums on the internet, as well. I try to always be open to constructive criticism – I welcome it, in fact – and it has helped me to learn from a variety of different sources.

Please Note: Penny will be responding to all comments on this post, so please feel free to talk with her – thank you.