How To Do Comfort Food The Easier Way

Comfort food is the ultimate antidote to longer nights and frankly miserable weather. Add in some very good telly, and we're helpless against the tide of sinking into the sofa with something hot and deliciously fatty.

But just as much as we love a good bowl of food (preferably with some form of potato), we also hate the panic that precedes the gamut of festive parties, where you then have to shoehorn your comfort food belly into a pair of Spanx.

So, is it time for a rethink?

We asked some of the top nutritionists for their advice and suggestions.



Sweet potatoes
"Fancy a warming mash? Then use sweet potatoes," says nutritionist Karen Poole."They will reduce the overall cooking time and have a lower glycemic load so they are a good slow release energy source to help keep blood glucose levels balanced throughout the day."

Expert Emily Maguire adds: "Sweet potatoes have a much lower GI and GL content meaning they will not spike your blood sugar which can result in hunger and cravings for foods high in sugar."


Dark chocolate
If you do end up craving chocolate, go for a 70% dark chocolate, melt it in the microwave and pour it over strawberries, says Emily. "These two ingredients are packed full of natural antioxidants that help protect the body from substances called free radicals which can attack healthy cells resulting in many conditions and also contribute to ageing."

The full English breakfast
How, you ask, is this healthy? Emily reveals that it's all in the ingredients. "The English breakfast has gotten a fair whack for being unhealthy, but choosing the correct quality ingredients (e.g. proper meat sausages) and method of cooking, makes this an ideal comfort breakfast."

Healthy meat alternatives
"Turkey is a great lean protein choice," says Karen, "and if you use it to make spag bol, will lower the fat content of the dish. It is a source of tryptophan to aid serotonin production the feel-good hormone to help us face the cold gray days of winter."

Similarly, she advises making a shepherd’s pie with a mixture of green lentils, tomato and dried wild mushrooms instead of minced lamb. "It can help you regulate your cortisol levels and reduce the overall impact of stress while also aiding liver function."



Go brown
"When you are making a risotto," says Karen, "choose brown risotto rice now available from most major supermarkets. This will increase the fibre content promoting gut function and efficiency to keep your bowel movements regular and aid digestion."

Use raw oats
"A comforting after dinner fruit crumble can work to lower your cholesterol level by simply adding raw oats into the crumble mix," says Karen, "as the beta glucan bind with cholesterol and carry it out of your body.
Breakfast time
Go for Greek yogurt, says Emily, as it's packed full of essential fatty acids needed for optimal health as well as being much lower in sugar than the fruit flavoured counter parts.

"At breakfast spread organic almond butter onto your brown toast instead of jam or honey," continues Karen. "This is a natural source of essential fats needed to boost positive mood and improve concentration."



When cooking a roast...
Karen says: "When you are cooking a Sunday dinner increase the vitamin, mineral and fibre content by roasting a mix of winter vegetables instead of just regular potatoes. Including squash, pumpkin, turnip and parsnip will provide a great mix of polyphenols to aid cardio vascular health, energy production and weight management.

"Make roasted vegetables more healthy by adding fresh lemon juice to the mix before they go into the oven. This will provide a liquid to aid cooking and means you can use less oil so reducing the overall fat and calorie intake."

Don't shy away from fresh herbs
"Fresh herbs will provide flavour and texture to most dishes and means you won't need to use as much salt therefore reducing the risk of high blood pressure and bloating," advises Karen.

"They are also a good source of antioxidants that can help combat the ravages of free radicals produced by everyday living. Growing your own is easy and will keep down the cost."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/10/25/healthy-comfort-food-diet-winter-warmers_n_4163191.html?ir=UK+Lifestyle

Fat, Sugar Or Carbs: Which Is the Bad Guy?

You're in a supermarket holding a cereal packet. It says 'low-fat' and the traffic light label is green showing that there's very little saturated fat. So far so good - for your waistline and your heart, right?


But then you notice that the sugar content is pretty high. So is a low-fat label really that healthy? The question has been going round in my head since reading an editorial in the BMJ this week that claims that saturated fat may not be the enemy it's been made out to be.

The editorial has stirred up one of the hottest topics about dietary advice this year. It asserts the opinion that saturated fat hasn't shown a risk to heart disease in several studies and may even be protective against some conditions. But recommendations about the amount of fat we should have in our diets haven't come out of thin air. The science behind them comes from a landmark study published in 1970. Researchers found that diets high in saturated fat were linked to higher levels of 'bad' cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein), which is a key risk factor for heart disease.

So, when it comes to protecting our health, which foods do we need to cut out or even eliminate? If saturated fat isn't the villain in our diets, what is? The editorial goes on to suggest that sugar and carbohydrates could be the key suspects.

The debate surrounding fats and sugars is fascinating and certainly food for thought. And it's sugar I want to focus on. It's been linked to weight gain, tooth decay and poor nutrition. That's nothing new. But in the last few years alone, evidence has been emerging to suggest sugar consumption is a key contributor to one of the biggest disease burdens of our modern world - type two diabetes.

In particular, there is mounting evidence to suggest that sugary drinks significantly increase the risk of this condition. The problem with a spoonful of sugar (or several in most fizzy drinks) is that it adds up to a lot of empty calories that can lead to weight gain. Furthermore, there's evidence to suggest that excessive amounts of sugar causes insulin resistance, which leads to type two diabetes.

To pull a few key stats, in a recent study, researchers found that drinking a can of sugar-sweetened soft drink increased the risk of type two diabetes in European men and women by 22%. Another piece of research found a 26% increased risk when people drank one or more sugary drinks per day compared with those who drank none or less than one a month. It seems sugary drinks have a lot to answer for.

Returning to the issue of weight loss, this leads me on to another key component of diet - carbohydrates. This energy-rich source of fuel has also been regarded as a culprit for weight gain in recent years. You only need to google 'low-carb diets' to be presented with over 17,000 results for ways you can jump start weight loss, curb cravings and burn more fat.

But thousands of results can't be wrong, can they? The effect of low carbs in your diet means that once your body uses up your stored glucose it then starts to burn stored fat instead. The concept of using fat for fuel has made these types of diets so appealing for people wanting to shift a few pounds.

The diet has divided opinion across the board, but for me there is definitely something in this sugary hypothesis. However, it isn't sustainable or healthy in the long term to substantially reduce carbs. Carbohydrates are vital for energy - they prevent protein being used for energy (as it's needed elsewhere), and helps keep your blood sugar levels on an even keel. These are the 'good' carbs.

So perhaps it's more to do with a re-education about carbohydrates - because some carbs can be bad for you. Refined, processed carbs, such as white bread, fast food burgers and white pasta contain sugars that are easy to digest and strip away beneficial fibre. And it's these 'sugar' carbs that can lead to weight gain. Found in thousands of food products - it's no wonder they've been touted as 'fat foods'.

So where does this leave us? The food fight against long-term conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes is an absolutely crucial one - one we are currently losing.

When it comes to reducing the risk of these conditions, the food we put into our bodies is something each and every one of us is responsible for. Yet individual responsibility is not enough: indeed there is some evidence that obesity is partly mediated through an addictive process. It's therefore imperative that scientists, policy makers and governments also empower individuals to make behavioural changes happen on a large scale. The advice we give about food and diet is as powerful as any medicine - it can do significant harm if we don't get it right.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dr-paul-zollingerread/sugar-fat-carbs_b_4161529.html?utm_hp_ref=uk-diet-and-fitness

 

11 Must-Try Moves To Get Started With Tabata

Illustrations by Printable Workouts for Greatist


After 10 seconds, I was gasping for breath, sweaty, and definitely convinced that four minutes of Tabata intervals counts as a real workout. Greatist’s Chief Research Officer David Tao was helping me “research” Tabata protocol, and after a round each of burpees, medicine ball clean and presses, and squats, I was feeling the burn (and then some, given how sore I was for the next three days).

TA-BAT-ER UP — THE NEED-TO-KNOW
Tabata Protocol is a system of short, high-intensity intervals developed by Japanese professor Dr. Izumi Tabata to train Olympic speed skaters. Grab a stopwatch, because this workout method is all about timing. The basic formula for Tabata training is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated between six and eight times (between three and four minutes, total). No cheating — the 20/10 ratio has been shown to work both aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways harder and more effectively than longer bouts of exercise.

TABATA BING, TABATA BOOM! — YOUR ACTION PLAN
Because this exercise strategy is more of a formula than a specific workout, the possibilities for Tabata are pretty darn flexible. Love bodyweight exercises? Do a set of push-ups. Feeling a dip in the pool? Pull on that swim cap and do some freestyle intervals. As with any workout regimen (and especially a high-intensity one like Tabata intervals), consult with a trainer beforehand to learn the correct technique. When going all-out, proper form can be the difference between a ticket to the gun show and a ticket to the physical therapist’s office.

Greatist Experts Ilen Bell and Kelvin Gary each picked one or two of the best moves for each area of the body, with added weights and using bodyweight alone. Each of these four-minute wonders packs a serious punch (just ask my quads after a round of squats), so start with just one or two exercises per workout. Feel free to rest for a few minutes in between the 4-minute bouts, or go back-to-back for an added challenge.

THE MOVESFull Body

1. Burpee: Start standing, then crouch to a low squat position with the hands on the floor. Then, kick feet back to a plank, then down into the bottom of a push-up. Push off the ground and quickly return to the squat position. Last step? Jump up as high as possible before squatting down again and jumping back into the next push-up.


Lower Body
2. Jump squat: Stand with the feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward. Sit back into a squat (hips below parallel, please!) then drive the whole body up through the heels, shifting weight onto the balls of the feet as you lift off. Be sure to land on the balls of the feet and immediately bend the knees into a full squat. Make sure the knees aren’t wobbling side to side while squatting or landing from a jump.

3. Lunge jump: Start standing with the feet together and lunge the right foot forward, bending the knee about 90-degrees and keeping the torso vertical. Then,jump straight up, and while in the air, switch legs and land in a lunge with the left foot forward.

4. Dumbbell front squat: Hold a dumbbell at the sternum (the center of the chest) and do a basic front squat. Place feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, hips stacked over knees, knees over ankles. Inhale and unlock the hips, bringing them back as the knees begin to bend. Keep the chest and shoulders upright, and continue until the hips are slightly less than 90 degrees from the ground. On the way back up, engage the core and drive through the heels to return to standing.




5. Kettlebell swing: Stand up straight, with feet a bit wider than hip-distance apart. Grab hold of the kettlebell with both hands, keeping the palms face down and arms in front of the body. Keep the knees slightly bent and drive the hips and bell back (it’s not a squat, so the knees shouldn’t have to bend that much), lowering the body just a bit to an athletic stance. In one fluid motion, explosively drive the hips forward while swinging the kettlebell, engaging the glutes and core. 

Upper Body
6. Push-up: Get into a plank position with hands planted a little bit wider than shoulder width apart. Keep the elbows close to the body throughout the movement. Ground the toes into the floor and engage the abs and back so the body is neutral.Lower the body in one straight line until the chest touches the floor. Keeping the core engaged, exhale, and push back to the start position.

7. Overhead neutral grip press: Stand with the feet shoulder-width apart core tight. Raise the dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell up to the shoulders with palms facing each other and the elbows below the wrists. Press the weights upward until the arms are fully extended overhead, and then lower back to the shoulders.
Cardio

8. Sprints: To get extra speedy, make sure form fits function. Hold the correct posture, with eyes up, chest tall, shoulders relaxed, and arms swinging up and down with the elbows at 45-degree angles.

9. Stationary bike or rower: Hopping on the bike for a quick spin is pretty self-explanatory, but the indoor rower is a bit trickier. First, strap feet into the foot stretchers, sit up tall, and grab the handle. Roll forward until legs are completely bent and arms are reaching forward. From this starting position (called the “catch”), explosively drive the legs back. When the legs are nearly extended, swing the torso back and pull the arms in so the handle is almost touching the rib cage. From here (aka the “finish”) recover by stretching the arms straight out, returning the upper body to a straight, vertical position, and bending the legs back to the catch.Core




10. Russian twist: Sit on the floor with the knees bent and feet together and lifted a few inches off the floor. With the back at a 45-degree angle from the ground, move the arms from one side to another in a twisting motion. Go super slow, twisting the shoulders completely from side to side.

11. Ski abs: Start in pushup position with hands under the shoulders and core engaged. Jump the feet to the left side of the body, as close to the upper torso as possible. Jump the legs back to a straight plank position and repeat on the right side.


With the exception of the weighted movements, most of these can be performed anywhere, any time. All you need is a set of comfy clothes and a serious work ethic. To make keeping track of the time easier, consider downloading a Tabata timer app. Again, consider meeting with a trainer to go over correct form (even if you’ve previously done these moves) before starting a Tabata fitness regimen to prevent injury. 
http://greatist.com/fitness/best-tabata-moves

5 Steps Towards Resilience

The opposite of depression is not happiness, according to Peter Kramer, author of "Against Depression" and "Listening to Prozac," it is resilience: the ability to cope with life’s frustrations without falling apart. Proper treatment doesn’t suppress emotions or dull a person’s ability to feel things deeply. It builds a protective layer -- an emotional resilience -- to safeguard a depressive from becoming overwhelmed and disabled by the difficulties of daily life. Here, then, are five steps toward resilience.


1. Sleep
Sleep is crucial to sanity because sleep disturbances can contribute to, aggravate, and even cause mood disorders and a host of other illnesses. The link between sleep deprivation and psychosis was documented in a 2007 study at Harvard Medical School and the University of California at Berkeley. Using MRI scans, they found that sleep deprivation causes a person to become irrational because the brain can’t put an emotional event in proper perspective and is incapable of making an appropriate response.

2. Diet
My diet has always been an important part of my recovery from depression, but two years ago -- after working with the naturopath and reading Kathleen DesMaison’s "Potatoes Not Prozac" -- I could more competently trace the path from my stomach to my limbic system. Moreover, I recognized with new clarity how directly everything that I put in my mouth affects my mood.

Here are the bad boys: nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, white flour, and processed food -- you know, what you live on. Here are the good guys: protein; complex starches (whole grains, beans, potatoes); vegetables; vitamins (vitamin B-complex, vitamins C, D, and E, and a multivitamin); minerals (magnesium, calcium, and zinc); and omega-3 fatty acids. I’m religious about stocking up on Omega-3 capsules because leading physicians at Harvard Medical School confirmed the positive effects of this natural, anti-inflammatory molecule on emotional health.

3. Exercise
Studies showed that the depressives who improved with exercise were less likely to relapse after 10 months than those treated successfully with antidepressants, and the participants who continued to exercise beyond four months were half as likely to relapse months later compared to those who did not exercise. Even as little as 20 minutes a week of physical activity can boost mental health. In a new Scottish study, reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, 20,000 people were asked about their state of mind and how much physical activity they do in a week. 

Exercise relieves depression in several ways. First, cardiovascular workouts stimulate brain chemicals that foster growth of nerve cells. Second, exercise increases the activity of serotonin and/or norepinephrine. Third, a raised heart rate releases endorphins and a hormone known as ANP, which reduces pain, induces euphoria, and helps control the brain’s response to stress and anxiety. Other added benefits include improved sleep patterns, exposure to natural daylight (if you’re exercising outside), weight loss or maintenance, and psychological aids.

4. Relationships And Community
We are social creatures and are happiest when we are in relationship. One of the clearest findings among happiness research is that we need each other in order to thrive and be happy, that loving relationships are crucial to our well-being. Relationships create a space of safety where we can learn and explore. Belonging to a group or a community gives people a sense of identity. Studies indicate that social involvement can promote health, contribute toward faster recovery from trauma and illness, and lower risk of stress-related health problems and mental illness.

Plenty of evidence indicates that support groups aid the recovery of person struggling with depression and decrease rates of relapse. Another study in 2002, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, followed a group of more than 100 persons with severe depression who joined online depression support groups. More than 95 percent of them said that their participation in the online support groups helped their symptoms. The Depression Center here at Everyday Health are a great resource.

5. Purpose
The father of positive psychology, Martin Seligman, explains in his book, "Authentic Happiness," that a critical element to happiness exists in using your signature strengths in the service of something you believe is larger than you. After collecting exhaustive questionnaires he found that the most satisfied people were those that had found a way to use their unique combination of strengths and talents to make a difference. Dan Baker, Ph.D., director of the Life Enhancement Program at Canyon Ranch, believes that a sense of purpose -- committing oneself to a noble mission -- and acts of altruism are strong antidotes to depression. And then there’s Gandhi, who wrote: "the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/11/how-to-be-resilient_n_4065246.html?utm_hp_ref=gps-for-the-soul&ir=GPS%20for%20the%20Soul

The Sunday Night Blues Are Real -- Here's How To Beat Them

In theory, the 62 hours between 6 p.m. on Friday evening and 8 a.m. on Monday morning are a blissful reprieve from the stress of the workweek. But even if you manage to leave work at work, the reality is that Sundays are often dominated by that sinking feeling that the workweek is looming. 

The phenomenon is a real one -- 78 percent of respondents in a recent international Monster.com poll reported experiencing the so-called "Sunday Night Blues." And a whopping 47 percent said they get it "really bad." In the U.S., that number jumps to 59 percent.

The Sunday Night Blues are created by a combination of realizing weekend fun is coming to an end and anticipating the beginning of five days of pressure, meaning it can strike even those who like their jobs. "Work is now spread out into home life with increasing demands because of email and the ability to work remotely," says Steven Meyers, professor of psychology at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Ill. "Work has become more of a drain for many people than it was a decade or two ago. There's more to dread nowadays."

But a case of the blues doesn't have to derail your Sunday. Below are five expert-approved strategies for beating that end-of-weekend anxiety.

Relax and distract.
Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to forget about it. "Feelings of anxiety and depression are most common when the person is not particularly busy," Meyers says. "So enjoyable activities that redirect your attention are especially important. Spending time with others, doing things that you find fun, exercising [and] devoting time to hobbies are all good ways to keep busy so that dread doesn't creep into your mind."

Identify the times you tend to feel anxious as the weekend wears on (Sunday NightBlues can be a misnomer -- sometimes it starts Sunday morning or afternoon), and purposely plan something to keep your mind focused on something else during those times.

Put your feelings on paper.
Still can't squelch the feeling of impending doom on Monday Morning Eve? Try writing down exactly what it is that's bothering you. "It's a catharsis to get it out on paper ... It's like flushing a toilet: You get it out on paper and you have flushed your system out," says James Campbell Quick, professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior at The University of Texas at Arlington. "Plus, when you go back and look at it you may realize that some of what you're thinking and feeling is a little off reality."

Listing out exactly what's bothering allows you to "weigh the evidence and examine the facts that are underneath the feelings," Meyers says. He recommends also writing down plans to address each of the stressful situations, because this can help "people reappraise the scope and scale of the stresses that they're looking at over the next several days."

Unplug.
In a world of 24/7 connectivity, there's almost always an option to check in at work -- and that means nine-to-five, five-days-a-week jobs are often a relic of the past. It can be easy to allow the stresses of workweek to seep into your precious time off and tempting to use Sunday as a chance to get a jumpstart on the week. But, as much as you can, it's important to spend time unplugged, even if you can only manage a few hours.

Disconnecting on the weekends can allow you the time you need to recharge your batteries after a stressful week, says Joanie Ruge, senior vice president at the career site Monster.com, which conducted the Sunday Night Blues survey. It might seem counterintuitive, but taking some time off will allow you to be even more productive when you get back to the grind.

Schedule something to look forward to.
"We shouldn't save all of our fun times for the weekend," Meyers says. Strategically setting up little things to look forward to throughout the upcoming week, and even the following weekend, can help to soothe some of your Sunday-evening dread.

These activities don't need to be elaborate (think: watching a TV show, making a phone date with a friend or going out to dinner). "Any of these are small enough to be feasible for workweek activities but large enough to make you feel excited or hopeful," Meyers says. Yup, DVR-ing DWTS totally counts.

Set yourself up for success.
Sometimes Sunday night is too late to think about the Sunday Night Blues. Next week, try setting aside some time on Friday afternoon to prepare for Monday, getting things organized so you have less to feel stressed about over the weekend. "Take some time to plan, even if that means you don't dash for the door at 5 p.m. on a Friday," Ruge says. "It actually will help you have a much better and more enjoyable weekend."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/13/sunday-night-blues_n_4086390.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living

Manage Your Expectations, Lower Your Stress

When my newly-married sister announced earlier this year that she was pregnant, she was excited -- and oddly quiet about it. She worried intensely and often (as I imagine most mothers do). She didn't like talking about it. What if something went wrong? She didn't want to jinx things her first time out.

That baby is now four months old and the happiest kid I've seen. He smiles easily and often, and my sister's fears were all for naught. But the fact is that her fearful imaginings made things harder and more stressful for her. Her expectation -- that something that could go wrong would, and that she wouldn't be able to handle it -- raised her stress levels considerably.

Your outlook is a product of your own relationship with expectation. What will or won't happen, no one knows. And how we deal with the stress of not knowing, whether to hope for the best or expect the worst, the idea that our expectations always directly affect an outcome is little more than magical thinking.

(If you're a control freak like me, you'll be well aware of how uncomfortable this makes you. Discover ways to curb that inner ogre.)

Your outlook, in the end, is a choice. Some optimists claim to be born with a sunny disposition, and yet they still get to choose how they anticipate and respond to the world around them -- which they have as little control over as a pessimist. The difference is that an optimist can always find something good about what happened.

A true dyed-in-the-wool pessimist, however, likely says he didn't choose that outlook -- the world has simply not proved to be worthy of more. Wrong. Pessimism is a choice, too. It's also a last-ditch effort at control. Because, if things go as wrong as you suspect, you can say, I knew it would happen. Show me a person ruled by pessimism and I'll show you a person who's afraid to get their hopes up.

Here are a few ways to shift your expectations -- and reduce your stress:

• Reframe stress itself. Jan Bruce, CEO of meQ, recently posted a blog about how framing stress as bad can make stress worse -- and so even your expectation of stress and its effects can take a toll (based on psychologist and researcher Kelly McGonigal's work on the subject). Rather than worry that stress is going to screw everything up, learn to see stress as an ally. Your stress response, after all, is your body's effort to cope with external risks and threats. When you can see it that way, and not as some outside enemy, you can reinterpret that stress as you rising to the occasion, rather than the world crashing down on you.
• Stop expecting people to agree with you. This comes from a great post ("7 Things You Should Stop Expecting from Others") on inspirational writers Marc and Angel's blog. If you go into every day expecting that there should be universal acceptance of your ideas and thoughts, you set yourself up for disappointment:
  "You are not in this world to live up to the expectations of others, nor should you feel that others are here to live up to yours. In fact, the more you approve of your own decisions in life, the less approval you need from everyone else."
• Stop expecting people to read your mind. At meQ, Mind Reading is one of the key Thinking Traps that get people stuck. It presumes a few things: One, that if someone really loved you, they would know, and second, that it's everyone else's job to anticipate your needs and wants. This creates stress -- not to mention tension in relationships. Speak up! Communicate precisely what you need and why before you get upset or annoyed. You can cut those emotional responses off at the pass, and change the nature of your day.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mequilibrium/managing-expectations_b_4086393.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living