I was at a friend’s house several years ago, we had just finished eating burritos form the local taqueria, and I was watching him take his daily regime of vitamins. As he was swallowing them, he asked me if taking vitamins was a decent replacement for eating veggies. Why eat vegetables if one can simply take the nutrients they offer in a capsule or pill form? At the time, I was stumped. On a gut level I felt that vegetables must have an advantage over supplements, yet I was still a student at the time and didn’t have an answer. Now that many years have passed, I have compiled plenty of reasons why one should go for the veggies over the supps. Here are a couple of important things one could miss out on…

Fiber.

Fiber plays a crucial role in health due to its ability to lower blood cholesterol levels and stabilize blood sugar levels. It also aids in the prevention of colon cancer, constipation and obesity.

Soluble fiber forms a gel within the gut allowing for delayed stomach emptying. This is beneficial as it results in the sensation of fullness and decreased appetite. Delayed stomach emptying also slows the absorption of carbohydrates, reducing after meal blood sugar spikes and stabilizing blood sugar levels. Soluble fiber also lowers cholesterol. Fiber binds with cholesterol-containing bile acids. Fiber isn't absorbed and exits the body with the bile acids, dramatically lowering cholesterol.

Insoluble fiber also plays an important role as it not only prevents constipation, but also aids in the prevention of colon cancer, diverticulosis, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The average American consumes less than 15 grams of fiber a day. The ideal consumption of fiber is at least 25 grams a day. Consider this interesting tidbit: Our Paleolithic ancestors consumed an average of 100-150 grams of fiber a day!

Phytochemicals.

Phytochemicals is a term used to describe a wide variety of compounds produced by plants. They are found in fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, and other plants.

Many thousands of phytochemicals have been identified (there are 10,000 different kinds in tomatoes alone), however, only a few have been studied closely. We have yet to identify the full range of benefits we obtain form them, but it is known that some phytochemicals have antioxidant actions while others have hormone-like actions. Here is an excerpt and link for the USDA’s National Agricultural library website describing phytochemicals:

“Known phytochemicals have a broad range of protective benefits -- from reducing inflammation, to speeding healing, to preventing infection, to curbing cancer. Phytochemicals are not essential to humans -- i.e. not required by the body to sustain life -- but they are essential to plants, such as fruit and vegetables. Phytochemicals are plants' self-protection program: they help shield young buds and sprouts from predators, pollution, the elements, etc. When we eat fruit and vegetables containing phytochemicals, they pass along to us many of these evolved protective benefits.

Some phytochemicals are plant pigments, lending their vivid hues -- red, orange, blue, purple -- to various fruit and vegetables. Many phytochemicals are antioxidants with lycopene, quercetin and beta-carotene being some of the better-known examples. Phytochemicals also include plant enzymes (such as pineapple's bromelain), phytoestrogens - which mimic human hormones (such as soy isoflavones) and glucosinolates which activate our own detoxifying enzymes (such as sulforaphane in cabbage).”

http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=3&tax_subject=358&topic_id=1610&level3_id=5947&level4_id=0&level5_id=0&placement_default=0

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that supplements don’t have their place—what I am saying is look to whole foods first. You don’t want to miss out on the additional benefits found in whole foods :).

Nancy Silva, ND
Faculty, Kaplan School of Health Sciences

This is my last post for the year... weeeee!!! ... until next year! =)  I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to contribute to the Kaplan Health and Wellness blog, and I hope to continue to contribute for a long time to come!

With that said, as we are approaching the end of the year, we tend to sit back and think about our resolutions.  Why is it that we have to have new resolutions every year?  That's a thought to ponder =).  For me, my yearly resolution involves (at the top of my list), to become (or remain) happy.  What is it that I see on the Hellcats the television show trailer every now and then--"positive outcome only!"  I know, I'm a bit annoyed at myself for remembering such a silly phrase, too, but when time goes downhill (everybody has a bad day sometimes!), a positive attitude is what keeps me going!  And I would like to share a few tips on how you can stay positive too! =)

First Tip:  Smile!  If I haven't stressed that enough in my previous posts, now you know my true number 1 secret for staying happy, healthy and young (not to say that I am--haha! just kidding! =) ).  When I was in the sixth grade (millenium ago!), I faintly remember a teacher telling me that if I stretch my face into a smile-like position, then I will be happy.  Honestly, it works!  Our body is conditioned so well, by observations and by many many years of experience, that stretching the corners of your mouth by contracting mainly the risorius muscles, it is a pleasurable stimulus which calls for a positive reaction--feeling happier!  So when there are days when I am extremely stressed out, and when I feel like I cannot go through the day, I just hold my head high and contract those risorius muscles!  Try it!  It works!

Second Tip: Reward yourself!  To keep for over-exhausting your body mentally and physically, remember to reward yourself!  Did a good deed?  Reward yourself!  Passed a test?  Reward yourself!  Just landed a job?  Definitely reward yourself!  Overslept in bed and missed your class? ... maybe not.  But you get the idea =).  You will definitely condition yourself toward striving to always do better and better yet, be better.  A lot of people define success as having different things--more money, more houses, more cars, more wives (hehe)--but I personally find that happiness is the biggest success in my life.  How you will achieve that?  Try to smile.  If that doesn't work, I can't help you there =).

Third Tip: Have a sense of humor!  I have a pretty dry sense of humor, but I'm always striving to learn to be more relaxed and take things less seriously.  With that said, I need to learn from this advice as much or perhaps more than you do =).  But I would like to share my tip anyway.  I always respect those who can laugh at themselves and have a positive outlook in life.  That, to me, is success.  And even though I'm giving you tips here, I'm not a know-it-all and am definitely not perfect, but sharing is caring, so why not share my piece of my wisdom to you, right?

And so I end my post with a quote from Robert Frost.  He states, "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."  Well said, Robert Frost! =)

As Christmas is just around the corner, everybody wants to find the most cost-effective way to look beautiful. Nowadays, photoshoped images are emerging by the millions, which have been misleading women all over the world of what is considered beauty. How costly is the price of beauty? Let's explore 3 inexpensive secrets to beauty that you wish you had known, while saving you some greens! =)




Instead of paying your dermatologists $1,500 for shots of Restylane and Botox, the NY Times recommends cosmetic acupuncture, which was popularized by the 2005 Academy Awards. For 10 sessions in five weeks (roughly $1,000) with monthly maintenance at about $105 a session, this seems to be a better and more natural deal for most. The theory behind this is that people carry a lot of tension in their faces due to stress, and by relaxing those muscles with acupuncture, the skin will be smoother with less wrinkles as a result. Not to be biased, but I actually do this in my practice, so I can attest that this works! =)

Secret #2: Facial Exercises



How would you feel if you walk into a class with a teacher making these types of facial expressions? Funny, isn't it? The above is actually an instructor of the newest hype of beauty "treatment" called Revita-Yoga. As reported by the NY Times, this six-session series help to stimulate 57 muscles in the face "to combat frown lines, wrinkles and sagging," costing at around $250 a class. The NY Times claimed that this is a bargin compared to the laser peel, which is about $600 per treatment. Does this work? You betcha! Try making funny faces and massaging your face every morning in the mirror! You will notice how great you feel for the rest of the day! =)

Secret #3: Smile!



Now if you don't have any greens to pamper yourself with cosmetic acupuncture treatment, or don't want to look silly in the streets making faces at passerbys, the most inexpensive beauty tip is... to smile! And smile a lot! The AZTeen Magazine suggests that smiling improves the immune system, relieves stress, and is inspiring to others! Let's face it, "it takes 26 muscles to smile and 62 muscles to frown." No wonder smiling feels so good, and smiley people live longer! =)

So if you ever feel down, just remember the wise William Shakespeare's saying, "a smile cures the wounding of a frown." Let's start feeling beautiful inside and out! Smile your heart out, and you'll look grrrrrreat (naturally!) without the pain of plasty surgery or botox! =)

P.S. You can click on the corresponding pictures to go straight to the original article from the NY Times or the AZTeen Magazine regarding these beauty tips.

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Dr. Nina La is an acupuncturist on staff at Tri-City Regional Medical Center (Hospital). She is also a chiropractic physician and herbalist. She currently practices at Seal Beach and Hawaiian Gardens in Southern California. You can contact her at NLa@kaplan.edu, or visit her website at http://drninala.com.

Thanksgiving is over and depending on your level of indulgence you may already be worrying about holiday weight gain. You may also be feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list and looking for some smart ways to stay on track this season. Before the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone, take stock of your current nutrition and exercise habits and get a plan. I have this quote on one of my computers that says “A goal without a plan is just a wish” (Antoine de Saint Exupery). So this post is going to be about getting a plan and a realistic one too. Although as side note I really wanted to do a version of the 12 days of Christmas but I wasn’t getting any brainstorms on that – maybe for next year.

So let’s talk strategies – simple things that can be done in terms of nutrition, physical activity, and behavior modification. Easy stuff you can start today. And in fact it would be great if you could incorporate one or two of these each week during the month of December so that by January you will have incorporated several new habits into your current lifestyle. It takes about 30 days to form a new habit which means you could end the year singing Auld Lange Syne celebrating your successes instead of saying things like: I plan to lose weight this year, join a gym, eat more vegetables, give up fast food, etc., etc. Why not resolve to make it to January 1 without any regrets and perhaps even a bit healthier than you are right now?

Here are my 12 strategies:
1. Use your Nog-gin
Beverages add a lot of calories this time of year. Did you know that a serving of egg nog is just ½ cup and about 170 calories? And who drinks just a half cup? A more typical serving is 8-10 ounces which will set you back about 4-5 miles of walking at a 3-4 mph pace. So save calories and drink more water!

2. Sit when you eat
Sounds simple enough doesn’t it? Sit when you eat. But I mean every time you eat so no noshing at the sink, while cooking, while going through the drive through, or while shopping. Sit at the table, light a candle, put the phone down, and simply eat.

3. Add an extra 30 minutes of physical activity to your day
If you aren’t active now then adding 30 minutes of activity a day is a great goal. If you are already active make an effort to add an extra walk to the beginning or the end of your day. If you walk at a 3-4 mph pace you could burn up to 1400 calories a week. Remember there are 3500 calories in a pound.

4. Go “halvies”
You could do nothing else on this list but simply cut all of your usual portions in half and you could lose weight. Of course you want those portions to be of healthy foods and not cheeseburgers and fries, but trust me this will work. You could also use this strategy for including your favorite holiday treats: just eat half your usual portion and since you will be walking an extra 30 minutes a day you can avoid the guilt.

5. Eat breakfast and pack your lunch
It’s true, it’s true. Eating a balanced breakfast has been proven over and over again in research to be one of the most effective strategies to maintaining your weight. Make it balanced with a portion of protein, a serving of fruit, and a serving of whole grain. And while you wait for your breakfast to cook, go ahead and pack your lunch and include one of the following: 1 serving of protein (1 string cheese; hard-boiled egg; 1 oz turkey; ½ cup beans, etc), 1 serving of fruit, 1 serving of vegetable, and 1 serving of whole grain. All of this should add up to about 400-500 calories.

6. Rethink TV time
While I won’t be so bold as to suggest you give up TV entirely, I will suggest that you use it to try out that new exercise DVD you got Black Friday. There are thousands of fitness DVD’s available on just about every exercise imaginable. Why not trade in three 30 minute shows a week for three 30 minute sessions of a workout DVD?

7. Say cheese!
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reported that cheese is our top source of saturated fat in the diet. Consider reducing your intake, switching to low fat varieties, a soy or rice based cheese (no cholesterol or sat fat), or eliminating it all together.

8. “My dog ate my running shoes” and other excuses to ditch
Dump the barriers to active living and focus on solutions instead. You’ve heard it before and I will say it again: make yourself and your fitness a priority. Schedule your workout in your day planner and stick to your commitment as if it were an appointment and canceling would incur a service charge.

9. Bake savvy
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reported that grain based desserts are the single largest contributor to total calories in the American diet. If you have read any of my other posts then you know I love to bake – particularly muffins. But I make healthy ones so when you bake this season opt for whole wheat flour, applesauce or pureed plums or mashed banana instead of oil, egg whites instead of eggs, yogurt instead of sour cream, and less sugar. You can reduce the sugar in most recipes by up to 1/3 without any negative effects.

10. Buyer beware
Please don’t fall prey to the latest fad diet, weight loss supplement, or goofy exercise machine you saw on an infomercial. There are no tricks to a healthy lifestyle: moderation, balance, variety. Before you spend $20 on a bottle of diet pills send me an email.

11. Don’t take comfort in too much comfort food
Do you need to eat more when it is cold? While a tempting rationalization I am afraid that the answer is “no” if your daily routine doesn’t change. It is true that you burn extra calories to stay warm but only if you are shivering to do so. Now don’t go turning off the heat so you can burn a few extra calories, instead warm up with some homemade chili, herbal tea, or homemade soup.

12. Eat from the rainbow
Make it a goal to eat 5 different colors of fruits and vegetables a day. If you do that you can be certain that you will be getting an array of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals all of which are beneficial to long term health.

There are many more tips I could share but I think these should cover the bases and if implemented shouldn’t be too overwhelming and provide some great rewards. Let me know how it goes too!

By: Jennifer Koslo, PhD, RD, CSSD, CPT
FT Faculty
School of Health Sciences

I have certainly been getting adequate vitamin A this fall since I have gotten back into baking. My mom sent me an easy pumpkin recipe a couple of weeks ago and I have already made 3 versions, each one turning out to be very tasty! Making muffins is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to cooking. But I can’t seem to make a recipe without modifying it to put my personal spin on it and then testing out several versions. So that is what I have been doing with this pumpkin recipe. All of the ingredients I have been using except for the baking soda, powder, and Splenda® are organic. I found organic canned pumpkin at Trader Joe’s for the reasonable price of just $1.99 for a 15 oz can which is just a few cents more than the cost of conventional canned pumpkin. The organic flour and fruit can also be found at any health food store. The version I am posting is made with the addition of a chopped Braeburn apple. The other versions I have made so far include substituting fresh organic cranberries for the apple and one where I added some organic tahini. I really think the sky is the limit in terms of making modifications as long as you keep the wet to dry ratio fairly similar. In general this recipe makes a lot of batter so I have gone back and forth between making mini muffins and making regular size muffins. I also always add a scoop of organic soy protein powder because I like eating the mini muffins as a post-run or post-gym snack but you can leave that out or use non-fat skim milk powder to boost the protein content.

Have fun with this recipe and enjoy eating them as they are super nutritious and super low calorie and of course super tasty!

Ingredients
2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup Splenda®
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
15 oz canned organic pumpkin
1 medium chopped organic Braeburn apple
28 gm vanilla soy protein powder (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix flour, Splenda, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add pumpkin, ½ cup of water and stir until just mixed. Spoon batter into oil-sprayed muffins cups filling to just below tops. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until tops bounce back lightly when pressed or when knife inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes to cool. Store in tightly sealed container or freeze.

This particular version made 11 good size muffins.
Calories: 90 (about 80 without the protein powder), carbs: 18 gm, fiber: 3 gm, protein: 5 gm

By: Jennifer Koslo, PhD, RD, CSSD, CPT
FT Faculty School of Health Sciences