Love don't cost a thing..

So we have all heard the rumor about the "negative" calorie food celery! The idea of celery being "negative calorie" comes from the fact that the body burns more calories metabolizing the celery than the celery possessed in the first place.

Here are a few other foods I love that in their raw form could be considered "negative calorie":
grapefruit, lemon, lime, apple, lettuce, broccoli and cabbage

**It is important to remember that there is nothing wrong with calories, we just shouldn't consume too many. Also, once you prepare these foods (adding stuff to make them taste even better!), you will probably add some calories to it. BUT what is important is that you are eating a delicious meal that is full of vitamins and minerals and relatively low in calories and fat.**

Here is a recipe that combines 2 of our neg-cal foods, broccoli and apples.
Broccoli Apple Salad

Ingredients

• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 2 large red apple, chopped
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 2/3 cup and 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins

Chop 'em up and toss together!

Another Combo of neg-cals is cabbage and lettuce:
Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 5 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 3 teaspoons soy sauce
• 3 (3 ounce) packages chicken flavored ramen noodles
• 1 large head cabbage, shredded
• 1 head iceberg lettuce - rinsed, dried, and shredded
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 12 ounces canned chicken, drained
• 1 cup toasted and sliced almonds
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the vegetable oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce and ramen noodle flavor packets. Bring dressing to the point of boiling, remove from heat and refrigerate until chilled.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, lettuce, green onions, broken noodles, chicken and almonds.
3. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve.               

Enjoy!

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2 more weeks of school. I am holding my breath and charging through.

I was in Little Rock this weekend working and I had that opportunity to see Regina Spektor in concert with my two friends, Jana and Sandee. Regina is SO talented!!!!

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Please, revel in her awesomeness!!!

Vitamin Sunshine

We are finally starting to enjoy some Spring sunshine!!
That means it it time to get our vitamin D on!

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We know that Vitamin D works with Calcium and Phosphorus to help build bone mineral density. So it is key in preventing osteoporosis and establishing/maintaining bone health.

Bones are growing and establishing density until about the age of 30. This is the time to really focus on building strong bones with nutrition and exercise.

AFTER 30, the decline in bone density begins gradually and picks up speed as age increases. The important thing in this phase is to maintain your current bone health. Your bones are "remodeling", but they are not building like they once were. Maintaining healthy bones can be achieved through exercise and proper nutrition in regards to calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D.

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The most common symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in adults include:

● Pains and aches

● Weakness

● Osteomalacia

● Bone pains (in the hips, ribs, feet, pelvis and tights)
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 You can eat your vitamin D from:

-fish

-soy milk

-orange juice

-milk/dairy

-cereal

-mushrooms

You can also synthesize your vitamin D from sunlight. ((Aren't you clever?!))

They body uses UV light from the sun which acts with cholesterol and transforms it into your own personalized brand of Vitamin D.

 HOWEVER: This takes minutes a day, not hours! I can get my daily vitamin D walking to classes on a sunny day. If you are out in the sun long enough to burn you are causing a great amount of cellular harm to your skin and negating any benefit you would have gained from a little extra vitamin D.

Reasons to stay healthy...

Many people would rather "live for now" instead of worrying about investing in their future health. For many of us it is hard to imagine being "old." For some of us is it because we are young, and that seems like so many years from now. For others of us, it is just scary to imagine being slow, sick, or couped up. Many of us have negative associations with aging. However, we should know that we control our own health in aging.

I would like to introduce you to a few lovely ladies who make me daydream about getting old. I just know that I will be a sassy lady like them in 50 years. See ya there?

This is Rita Marcus:

She is an 80-something blogger and grandmother. You should check out her darling blog very old grandmother.

Meet Miyano Haraki:

Isn't she just elegant? She is an 80 year old designer. She designs hats. Charming!!!!

Meet Ilona Royce Smithkin:

She is a 91 year old artist and performer. She is too precious. She loves color, makes her own false eyelashes, and is quite a fire cracker!! She has the most refreshing viewpoint on aging!! You must watch this video just to hear her amazing accent.

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How do they do it? How can one be 80, but seem to have the body and mind of someone in there 60's? Here is some insight...

"European Symposium on Healthy Ageing:Diet and Physical Activity Promote Fitness and Well-Being also in the Elderly
P. Haber- Medical University of Vienna, Clinic for Internal Medicine II, Vienna, Austria

The biological age, in contrast to the chronological age, can be defined by the status of eight selected biomarkers of aging:

1.daily energy expenditure; physical activity

2.maximal aerobic capacity, endurance

3.muscle mass; strength

4.proportion of body fat

5.bone density

6.insulin sensitivity

7.relation of LDL to HDL-Cholesterol

8.blood pressure

Based on the assessment of these eight biomarkers, a person may be regarded as biologically “old” no matter how old he/she is chronologically."

Basically, you can keep your body and mind young and healthy if you want to. Take ownership of what is yours. All of the 8 factors mentioned above are things that WE can control/effect through diet and exercise.
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You can find more of these amazing ladies and their gentlemen friends at the blog ADVANCED STYLE.

Stay active. Eat more plants. Age Gracefully. Be fabulous.