Healthy with Jodi

Symbols to Look For at the Store, Market, or on Nutrition Labels

    If you have ever wondered what you are looking for when buying foods at the store, here is a comprehensive list to assist you.  Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, lactose intolerant, have food allergies, or just want to eat healthier…this list will help.

    nutrition symbols nutrition symbols

     

    10 Reasons to Eat Clean

      eat clean

      1. You’ll become more mindful.
      Which one takes longer and really makes you slow down? Eating clean also means eating with purpose and savoring food. That means a better relationship with everything from radishes and radicchio to red velvet cupcakes (which you’ll no longer crave).

      2. You’ll save money.
      Kiss sick days and medical bills goodbye when you get nutrients from eating clean, real food. Plus, shopping locally and in season makes sense– and cents. Planning clean meals for the week is cost-effective if you make a list and stick to it, as there’s no chance of overspending at the store.

      3. You’ll live longer.
      Study after study has shown that consuming these foods can lengthen your life-span. And in a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, European researchers have found that increasing your produce intake to more than 569 grams per day reduces your risk of mortality by 10 %.

      4. You’ll have better relationships.
      Preparing clean meals takes time, just the kind of time that allows for easy, relaxed conversations with your kids, spouse and other family members and friends. If they’re too busy with screen time to share stove-top time, point them to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2014 study, published in Public Health Nutrition, showing good health comes from home cooking.

      5. You’ll be smarter.
      Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and nuts keep our minds sharper and our memories stronger by a whopping 24 %, proved a study published in spring 2015 in Neurology. Our brains also function better with nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, as shown in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, while they slow and sputter down when we fill them with sugar (including alcohol), fast food and the wrong kinds of fats. If that’s all too much too think about, remember one point from the Nature Reviews Neuroscience report: A balanced diet means better brain health.

      See also 9 Amazing Brain Boosters to Add to Your Diet.

      6. You’ll have more energy.
      Adam and Eve were onto something when they bit into that apple: Fruit is just one of many clean foods that provide an instant dose of energy. High-fiber fruits like apples take longer to digest and can instantly stave off that afternoon slump while providing critical vitamins for the evening ahead. Other pick-me-ups include quinoa, almonds, eggs, kale, citrus fruit and a good-old-fashioned glass of water.

      7. You’ll be better in bed.
      Mamma mia! Women with metabolic function in Italy and other regions of the Mediterranean enjoy a healthier sex life than those in the US, thanks to the components of their diet– yep, vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and olive oil. That’s what researchers found in a comprehensive study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research.

      8. You’ll help the planet survive.
      There’s an oft-quoted statistic that food travels approximately 1,500 miles from farmer to consumer in the United States. By eating seasonal and local foods, as recommended by Clean Eating, you can help reduce your carbon footprint. As the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported in 2003, “The major threat to future survival and to US natural resources is rapid population growth”and “the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet is more sustainable than the average American meat-based diet.

      9. You’ll be stronger.
      The lean protein that comprises part of the clean-eating philosophy builds lean muscle mass and boosts metabolism, found a study presented at The Obesity Society’s annual meeting in 2014. Some mighty choices for your muscles (in addition to animal-based products like chicken, fish and lean beef) include quinoa, chickpeas, nuts, spinach and seeds.

      10. You’ll be happier.
      Food and mood go hand in hand. And the better the food, the better your mood. If you need to brighten your day, go for berries, bananas, coffee, lean proteins, chocolate, omega-3 and turmeric fatty acids, all proven to boost your mental state.

      Healthy with Jodi

      How to Reduce Inflammation: 4 Ingredients Could Be the Key

        4 Key Ingredients For Improving Inflammation

        Inflammation is the body’s way of defending itself against disease and is a self-protective mechanism that can support the natural healing process. However, when the inflammation is chronic because of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, then this can leads to conditions where disease manifests. The good news is that there are various natural anti-inflammatories that can ease many of the chronic inflammatory conditions.

        Below are a list of the key ingredients that can improve inflammation…

        • Curcumin. This is the active compound found in the Indian spice turmeric. Its curcuminoids can curcumin
          reduce pain and inflammation by inhibiting NF-kB, a protein complex that controls transcription of DNA, cytokine
          production and cell survival. It is involved in the cellular responses to stimuli such as stress, cytokines, and plays an integral role in regulating the immune system response.
        • Serrapeptase. This is a proteolytic enzyme that can dissolve and safely digest inflammation within the body. Once the inflammation is removed, it’s possible for the body’s natural self-healing mechanisms to come into play. Serrapeptase is derived from the silkworm intestine but is now manufactured within a laboratory. When serrapeptase is taken it can safely eliminate inflammation that can appear as various symptoms including redness, swelling, pain and more.
        • Ecklonia Cava Extract is a super nutrient that can help to support healthy blood flow and circulation. Studies show it may reduce blood glucose levels, while supporting blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
        • MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) and other trace minerals can help to support healthy lungs, joints,
          tendons and connective tissues.  This is an organosulfur compound that occurs naturally in plants and can help with a variety of health problems related to and including stress, inflammation, allergies and gastrointestinal conditions.

        Any of the above nutrients can help to provide inflammation relief. Curcumin and Serrapeptase are particularly powerful as they are highly researched and have been documented as helping thousands of people improve their health conditions, due to their anti-inflammatory properties. When they are taken on a daily basis, they can provide long term results. Alongside taking these nutrients it’s recommended to follow an anti-inflammatory diet, as it’s then possible to find significant relief from the painful symptoms of inflammation.