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- Cigna
- BCBS of MA
- Harvard Pilgrim
- Tufts
The Powerful Antioxidant
One of my favorite things at the farmer’s market is the rainbow of vegetables, fruits, and products available. The true nutritional benefit from all of those colors, textures, and flavors is not completely understood. Bits and pieces do stand out though, like antioxidants. These compounds block the activity of free radicals which form naturally in the body or by exposure to environmental toxins like cigarettes and pollutants from car exhaust and factories. Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that can be potentially harmful to your health. While not all free radicals are harmful, at high concentrations they can cause damage to different types of cells like proteins or DNA. This damage can lead to health issues including cancer. So, antioxidants work to prevent damage to cells in the body; some are made in the body but most are obtained through dietary sources. Below is a list of four antioxidants that will fill your plate with an assortment of colorful benefits:
- Beta-carotene: Find this antioxidant in red, orange, and yellow foods as well as broccoli, asparagus, beet greens, and kale. Once eaten, beta-carotene eventually turns into vitamin A, an important nutrient for eye health.
- Vitamin C: Most people think of oranges for vitamin C, but there’s actually more of this antioxidant found in sweet peppers. Berries, Brussels' sprouts, kale, kiwi, strawberries, mangos, or kohlrabi are other excellent sources. Pair these with iron rich foods for increased iron absorption. Vitamin C is also important for skin, bones and healing, so if you’re a smoker or you’re body is under stress (like fighting an infection), you will require a little extra vitamin C.
- Vitamin E: A lack of this vitamin is very rare since your body does a great job storing it, so only supplement once you’ve spoken to a medical professional. Higher amounts are needed for breastfeeding women though. Find vitamin E in broccoli, almonds, mustard greens, hazelnuts, bell peppers, and vegetable oils. This antioxidant protects against cataracts and atherogenesis or the clogging of arteries by ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol.
- Selenium: This mineral is actually found naturally in soil and water, so depending on where your food is grown, selenium will vary slightly. Breads, barley, chicken, egg, fish, Brazil nuts, and button mushrooms are wonderful sources. We only need a small amount of selenium but it does play an important role in metabolism and regulating the thyroid hormone.
 Overall, working antioxidants into your diet is as easy as eating a colorful plate. The most benefit is from antioxidants in fruits and veggies especially if steamed or raw. Eating plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and nuts have countless health benefits beyond their antioxidant properties, so aim to have an array of colorful foods at every meal for the biggest range of nutrients and flavors.
Sending summer love,
Diana
Turn on the Grill!
There’s no better time of year to grill than summer. The fresh air and aromas from the barbeque really are so unique to this time of year, and not to mention better than staying inside by the hot stove! Grilling is a great way to mix up the flavors on your plate but without the added fat that some other cooking techniques require.
Grill with safety in mind by using consistent cooking temperatures on your grill. This prevents any uneven or uncooked food from getting to the table. Your safest bet is a food thermometer to check that meats are cooked just right.
Choose leaner meats and trim off excess fat. Less fat dripping into the BBQ will prevent smoke and flare-ups.
Compounds called heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are formed when meats are cooked using high temperatures with methods such as pan frying or grilling directly over an open flame. Exposure to these compounds has caused cancer in animals, but the evidence is unclear for causing cancer in humans. In general, it is suggested to avoid these compounds anyway by precooking food or cooking at a lower temperature. There is some evidence that suggests certain spices, like turmeric and rosemary, decrease these chemicals in our foods. So think about adding these spices to your marinades. Some people line their grills with aluminum foil and poke holes into it so that less smoke caused by drippings will contact food. It also helps to keep your grill clean. Use hot soapy water to remove and moderate the bacteria on your BBQ.
Fortunately, these compounds are only created on meats. Don’t forget to grill fruits and veggies: corn, pineapple, asparagus, peaches, peppers, onions, summer squash and zucchini, potatoes, eggplant, mushrooms, the list is endless! Fruits and veggies don’t take long to warm on the grill; their natural sweetness with an added smoky flavor is delish. A plant-based diet is colorful (hint, antioxidants), filled with fiber (keeps you full), and can be a mainstay of your meals.
Yoga Pose of the Summer
 Walking along the Charles River is a favorite summer exercise for many. Those not in the greater Boston area have similar beautiful places, I'm sure. Runners and joggers, bikers, bootcamp junkies, people in kayaks of every color dotted along the water's edge, everyone seems to enjoy moving more when in Nature.
Most of these activities use your legs and hips. Try this *intense* yoga pose to relieve tightness in your quadriceps and hips and get a tremendous shoulder opener at the same time.
First, do a warm-up: Stand in mountain pose and breathe 3-5 deep breaths as you sweep your arms overhead on the inhale and back down to your sides on your exhale. Fold forward, let your fingers touch the earth, and take 5 breaths. Inhale to lengthen your torso forward, exhale to fold in deeper each time. Then step your right foot to the back of your mat into a lunge keeping your leg straight and strong. Hold for 3-5 breaths, then do the left side. Do the right side again, and this time, bring your back (left) knee to the floor and your forearms to the floor inside your right foot - or use blocks or pillows if your forearms don't reach the floor. Lengthen your spine as much as you can and soften your upper back. Yep, that's a hip opener! Repeat on the other side.
Now, you're ready to do that again and this time, reach back and grab your back foot with your opposite hand. Please make sure your back knee is a good ways back (note that your thigh will be slanted and not straight up and down). As you breathe, begin to open your chest, shoulder back, throat back, head back. Enjoy the inner opening as well as the intense stretching of your outer body.
Hold the Date - Fall Yoga for Mindful Eating
 It's never too early to put your next 7-week Yoga for Mindful Eating series into the calendar. This series fills quickly so register early.
You'll enjoy this even if you're new to yoga. Gentle stretching, breath work and meditation feed our bodies, mind and heart and prepare us to go deeper on this journey. This series is for you if you seek balance and growth in your relationship with food, and if you strive for a deeper understanding of your behaviors around food, self-esteem and body image.
This is for you if you spend way too much time thinking about food, like "How much should I eat," "What should I eat," and "How many times do I have to eat?" It's for you if you just don't eat because it's too hard to deal with. Or binge eat and then regret it. Or compensate for a binge by over-exercising or using laxatives. It's for you if you're on a diet - again!
Call me if you have questions about any of this.
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The budget-friendly bulk section of the grocery store is perfect for purchasing spices, specialty foods, or a new ingredient you want to experiment with!
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