When we talk about getting “rusty” at certain tasks, we may not be far off. Oxidation is the process that causes metal to rust and it can also damage our brain cells. This type of stress plays a part in many diseases associated with aging from Dementia and Alzheimer’s to Parkinson’s.

There are several types of Fruits that you can eat that will not only keep you healthy, but help fight this oxidation process.

Berries

Getting the beneficial anti-oxidative compounds like vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and other nutrients may help prevent, or at least curtail, the damage caused by Oxidation Stress. Need more reasons to eat fruit? Research has shown that the beneficial chemicals found in raspberries, strawberries and blueberries are also found right in the hippo-campus, the brain’s memory control center. Eating more fruit can help you improve your memory!

Strawberries also help fight against aging and potentially against cancer as well and blueberries help protect your heart.

Cherries

Cherries help to calm your nervous system and act as natures little anti-inflammatory pills. They contain Cox 2 inhibitors similar to those found in pain medications such as Vioxx and Celebrex, and they also contain compounds called polyphenols that help keep platelets in the blood from clumping together. This is so they don’t produce undesirable side effects— like heart attacks and strokes—which are risks associated with manufactured drugs.

Apples

That old saying that you Grandma used to say about “an apple a day keeps the Doctor away” was actually spot on. It turns out that Apples contain a group of chemicals that could potentially protect the brain from the types of damage that triggers Alzheimers and Parkinsons.

Apples also contain other chemicals like phenolic acids and different flavonoids that protect the apple itself against damage by bacteria, viruses and fungi. If these natural chemicals are able to protect the apple, then imagine what they can do for us. Several studies have suggested that eating apples may not only help reduce the risk of cancer, but diminish the risk of neurodegenerative disorders, too.

Peaches

A peach is extremely rich in vitamin A and potassium, fluoride and iron, making them rank very high in nutritional value and good for the overall health of an individual. Peaches help make the skin healthy and also add color to the complexion. Being rich in Vitamin A, peaches may also help prevent cancer in organs and glands with epithelial tissue.

Peaches also are comprised of more than 80 percent water and are a good source of dietary fiber, making them good for those trying to lose weight. Consumption of peaches, on a regular basis, can keep your bowel movements regular and even prevent straining. Peaches also have a small laxative effect and a powerful diuretic effect and have been recommended to people suffering from rheumatism and gout. Peach flowers have sedative proprieties and are good for children who are restless, especially when boiled in water with sugar and honey.

There are several more types of fruits that you should be eating that are not only just very good for you to eat, but also help protect your body. Check back to see which fruit it is that can help relax your blood vessels and fight arthritis.

The brain accounts for 2 percent of our body weight and consumes approximately 20 percent of our daily calorie intake. It’s common to resolve to lose weight, but any sane person dreads how dieting dulls your mind. In fact, many studies have shown that counting calories, carbs or fat grams, is distracting — to the point that it taxes short-term memory. But how we eat can affect our minds at more fundamental levels, too.

Your brain likes to eat and it likes powerful fuel like quality fats, antioxidants, and small steady amounts of the best carbs.

Are you on a deadline? Then you should avoid drinking soda, vending machine snacks and tempting Starbucks pastries and go for one of these powerful brain boosters instead. The path to a bigger, better brain is loaded with Omega-3 fats, antioxidants, and fiber.

Give your brain a much needed kick start by eating the following foods on a daily or even weekly basis:

Avocado
Blueberries
Wild Salmon
Pomegranate
Chocolate
Olive Oil
Tuna
Eggs
Tomatoes
Green Leafy Vegetables
Nuts
Seeds
Coffee
Oatmeal
Beans
Brown Rice
Tea
Oysters
Garlic
Cacao Nibs

There are also foods that drain your brain like alcohol, corn syrup, sugar, nicotine and meals heavy in high carbohydrates

Like we said before the brain is a hungry organ and its cells require two times the amount of energy than that of other cells in the body. To work well and efficiently throughout the day, this energy level must be kept high enough so not to cause mental stress and exhaustion.

Did you know that if you don’t eat breakfast you actually slow down your metabolism? You do. You actually send your body into “hoard mode.” It thinks it’s starving because you’re going such a long period of time– frequently 8 to 10 hours or more– without food. Studies show that people who regularly eat a healthy breakfast within two hours of rising are more likely to control their weight.

Your dinner meal should be your lightest meal, and some experts are recommending that you not eat anything after 8 p.m. By doing this it allows your body to burn and process the food that you have consumed and you end up burning more calories per hour this way as well.

Water, water and more water. You’ve heard it before, but you need to make sure that you drink those eight 8-ounce glasses of water every single day. Your metabolism needs water to work correctly.

Another thing you can to do to help maintain an active, healthy metabolism is to eat every four to five hours. Our bodies work hard to digest and absorb the foods we eat, and your metabolism revs up in response. This is called the thermic effect of food. Take full advantage of this and make sure to schedule meals and snacks every four to five hours.

Eating protein with every meal is another way you can boost and maintain a healthy metabolism. Eating enough protein gives your body a bigger metabolic boost than eating things like carbohydrates or fats. Plus, getting enough protein will ensure you’ll maintain and build muscle mass. (Remember, the more muscle mass you have, the greater your metabolic rate). Make sure to incorporate lean protein into most every meal. Best protein sources: fish, chicken breast, turkey breast, lean red meat, skim milk, nonfat yogurt, eggs and egg substitutes, tofu, beans, and lentils.

Here are some other foods that you can eat that will help increase your metabolism:

Curry: increases the amount of calories your body burns and speeds up your metabolism.
Cinnamon: A little bit of cinnamon can go a long way. Add some zing to your daily cup of tea with this tasty spice to help your body metabolize sugars more effectively and maintain steadier blood sugar levels. Cinnamon can also help lower your cholesterol.
Oatmeal: Because your body takes a long time to break down the fat-soluble fiber in oatmeal, this healthy food lowers your body’s insulin level and speeds up your metabolism as a result.
Soy Milk: Fortified soy milk is loaded with calcium, which helps boost your metabolism. Just stay away from the sweetened varieties.
Apples: this low-calorie snack is high in fiber, which your body must burn calories to break down. Plus, since apples help you stay full for longer, you’ll eat less.
Spinach: Popeye was right about one thing: spinach can help make you strong and healthy. In addition to speeding up your metabolism, it’s a great source of antioxidants, magnesium, potassium, iron and vitamin C.
Beans: Low in fat and packed with protein, beans keep you full for long durations, and your body must burn extra calories in order to process this fiber-rich food.
Almonds: Almonds’ essential fatty acids help raise your body’s metabolism. Just don’t overdo it because they’re also very high in calories.
Coffee: Coffee does have caffeine, which happens to also give you a boost. Just make sure that you don’t exceed two – three cups a day because the side effects could be brutal– like irritability and the jitters.
Grapefruit: is a diet super fruit and lowers the insulin levels in your body that trigger your system to store fat. Plus, it is rich in fiber and your body must burn extra calories in order to break it down.

When you are selecting which foods that speed up your metabolism to implement into your diet it is vital to make sure that you choose healthy foods such as the ones listed above. Make sure you have ample fiber in your diet and to also cut down on foods that are high in or even moderately high in sugar. You should also reduce your tobacco intake if you are a smoker and alcohol if you like to drink because that will help give your metabolism the much needed boost you are looking for.

There really are no short-cuts to losing weight, however, there are a few things you can do to boost your metabolism. Besides exercising regularly and getting plenty of sleep — which are two of the best things you can do– there are also plenty of foods that speed metabolism. Adding them to your diet may give you the extra edge to lose more weight. Think of these foods as support mechanisms on your path towards fat loss, as any diet that keeps the pounds off requires sustained effort and exercise.

Yogurt: As far as superfoods go Yogurt is a key player. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract. Low-fat yogurt has a rich source of calcium that is weight-loss friendly. It provides about 450 mg per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein.

Green Tea: Studies have shown that green tea can boost metabolism as well as helping with weight loss. It has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties, help prevent heart disease and have mood enhancing properties.

Turkey: It’s not just for Thanksgiving and Christmas anymore! Countless studies have shown that protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams protein.

Jalapenos:  These hot babies can not only speed up your metabolism, but they can boost it as well. Here’s why: There is a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers called Capsaici that temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories. All that hot salsa really does a body good.

Broccoli: Study after study links calcium with weight loss. Broccoli is high not only in calcium, but it is also loaded with vitamin C– which boosts your calcium absorption. It also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fiber. This superfood not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease. And, the best news? It has just 20 calories per cup.

Metabolism is how your body converts calories you consume into energy. People often believe that a slim person’s metabolism is high and an overweight person’s metabolism is low, but this usually is not the case. Metabolism alone does not determine your weight. Rather, weight is dependent on the balance of calories consumed versus the calories burned. If you eat more calories than you need — you will gain weight. If you eat fewer calories than you need — you will lose weight. Metabolism is merely your body’s engine that burns calories and regulates your caloric needs.

Check back on Wednesday when we will share with you more foods that you can eat that will help boost your metabolism.

Earlier this week we talked about eating habits that can help you to have a dramatic weight loss. Now we are going to talk about the simple things you can do to move the weight loss forward.

1. Health App – Whether it be for your phone or on your computer, you really do need some sort of tracking system. This will help you to keep track of the food you eat and the exercise that you do. There are numerous ones out there that can track this information for you, helping you see how many calories you burned and consumed. This information is critical in the weight loss process.

There are also Apps available that will track the distance that you run, walk or bike and calculate not only the mileage but the amount of calories that you burned. This is motivation at its best and helps you realize that when you walk from the back of the parking lot to the grocery store entrance, you are burning calories.

2. Elevated Heartbeat for a min of 30 – 45 minutes daily. This means that if you hate running, not to worry. You just have to make sure that you are walking briskly enough to elevate your heartbeat for 30 minutes. You should be able to talk with your walking partner, but it should labored. This means you are working your body, and burning calories.

3. Rest. Make sure you rest your body adequately between each exercise session, so you don’t damage your muscles. Make sure that you consider protein supplements. This will help your body rebuild the necessary muscles and cells that we use when we exercise and really, just function day to day. If you are tired after you exercise you need to provide your body with the essential proteins necessary to rebuild, rejuvenate and restore your muscles.

4. You don’t have to go to the gym to exercise. There are a lot of different exercises that you can do, at home, that don’t require a gym membership. Squats, lunges, sit-ups and push-ups to name just a few. Adding these exercises to your daily routine will increase your endurance.

5. Ask for Help – Get a workout buddy or someone to help keep you accountable. There is something to be said for knowing someone is outside or at the gym waiting for you to keep you motivated and working out.

If you follow these five easy steps, you will see a gradual weight loss. The toughest part of losing weight is that it doesn’t just slide off like a bad outfit. You have to work it off and that work is hard. Just remember: Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels.

What are some of your tried and true tips for easy to do exercise?

Over the past eighteen months I have lost 62 pounds. That’s the equivalent of two small children! I have been asked a variation of the same three questions when they realize how much weight I have actually shed:

1) What did you do?
2) Did you starve?
3) Did you quit eating out?

What I did, quite truthfully, is very simple and everyone could, and frankly should, do the same thing. Most people look at me like I’m crazy, but I’m living proof that this works.

1. I quit eating fast food, processed foods and pre-packaged foods– which are incredibly high in saturated fats. Simply removing the bad fats found in that type of food will help drastically with your weight-loss desires.

2.  I concentrated on eating the good fats . These are the fats that are found in lean cuts of meat, fish and nuts. I  eat my vegetables and proteins first and save the rolls, and bread (carbs) for the end of the meal. By filling up on the Vegetables and Proteins first your overall calorie intake will be lower because you will feel full and avoid overeating–which typically occurs when you fill up on the rolls or bread first.

3. I tracked what I ate. Now, before you roll your eyes at me and tell me you don’t have time to do that, let me explain the method of my madness. I downloaded a fitness training app to my smart phone and during the set-up process honestly listed my weight (198 lbs) and my current exercise level (none). I was honest with the app — I had nothing to lose except the weight and I was sick of being fat. At the end of the day I would input all the food that I ate that day and what types of exercise I did — and it would list out the calories that I consumed and burned. If I ate more than I burned, then I was in the red zone.

Quite honestly, it only took about three days of me seeing that my Biggie Sized Extra Value Meal was TWO DAYS worth of calories in one meal. Finally I could see how my food choices were negatively affecting my weight.

4. I still eat out – I just make healthier choices. If I can, I try to decide before I get to the restaurant what I’m going to eat. I will look at the menu and find the healthiest choice that the restaurant offers. This helps me not to be tempted when I get to the restaurant to make poor choices because the food smells so good. I have now know exactly what healthy choices I can make at a drop of a hat at various local restaurants, and I don’t have to spend time mulling over the menu– at home or at the restaurant.

5. I eat a salad every day. This is a simple way to make sure you are getting the daily required vegetable/fruit intake necessary for healthy living. It’s also a healthy choice when eating out, especially when it’s not possible to check the menu of an eating establishment prior to your meal. If you frequently eat green salads, you’ll likely have higher blood levels of a host of powerful antioxidants and its an easy way to lower your cholesterol.

Check back on Wednesday when we’ll go over simple steps to exercise and burn calories. In the meantime, tell us what some of your favorite healthy eating tips are in comment section below.

We are entering the time of year when parents everywhere are one fuse short of a blow out. We try to make the holidays absolutely perfect for our off-spring. Typically the time and effort we put into making the holiday’s all shiny and rosy goes entirely unnoticed.  Unless Mom ends up blowing up the bank or something else entirely plausible.

In light of that, Provide Gold has come up with a very simple and easy way to de-stress your holidays.

1. If it’s worth doing its worth doing wrong. What the heck does that even mean? It means that no one is going to notice if your front door has a fresh coat of paint or if all the presents are elegantly wrapped with homemade gift tags. While all the little details are nice, you can let a large majority of them go and the holidays will still be wonderful.

2. Turn off Technology Every Night At A Set Time. At our house we have a rule that all cell phones and computers are off and plugged into a huge outlet in the kitchen to charge. Nightly and no excuses. Everyone has until 11:00pm to finish their homework because once 11 rolls around our handy filter turns on and no one can access the Internet. The filter is the bad guy, not Mom or Dad.
I know. I freaked out when this new rule was presented to me, too. No one is allowed to keep their cell phones or computers in their rooms– including Mom and Dad. It seems drastic, and honestly I nearly had a heart attack to not feel my phone under my pillow; however, I can honestly tell you that I sleep more soundly because I’m not constantly checking my phone.
Try it. You’ll love it.

3. Take A Walk. That’s easy enough to understand. Exercising is a natural way to let off the pent up steam created from stress. However, walking in the winter is just plain cold. Don’t give up on walking because its -40 outside (or at least feels like it) think outside of the box for places you can walk.

• Drop your kids off at the elementary school and then walk the halls. You can figure out how many times around the halls you need to walk to equal a mile. I’ve seen the teachers doing this at several schools (check with the administration to make sure they’re ok with it) .
• Most Malls open their doors early for people to mall walk.
• A lot of the newer high schools and junior high schools have indoor tracks, and if they don’t walk their halls (again, check with administration).

4. Store Bought Is the New Homemade. Of course we all love to eat home baked goodies, but with the schedules that we all keep it’s near impossible to bake like our Grandma’s did. No one needs to know that Mr Piggly-Wiggly made those awesome cookies or salad that you brought to the holiday party. When you’re complimented, just smile and say Thank You. And then silently thank Mr. Piggly-Wiggly.

5. Remember What Nancy Reagan Taught Us… Just Say No. That is the most liberating word in the English language. NO. You don’t have to go to every single party on the planet, bake twenty-four dozen cookies for the PTA or provide a Sub-for-Santa for three families. No. You won’t be thought less of, nor will your family stop loving you. You simply we not be stressed because you embraced the most powerful word on the planet: No.

What are your favorite Holiday de-stressors?