Salmon: It's Healthy; Now Make it Delicious

Salmon is a low fat food that contains omega 3 fatty acids, which are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Many women have been known to take omega fatty 3 acid capsules to ease menstrual cramps, and to control the symptoms of diseases such as ulcerative colitis. Additionally, omega 3 fatty acids can prevent heart disease, and control brain functionality. Since salmon is an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids, you might want to cook it for your family. Unfortunately, many kids have an "I hate fish" mentality. Here is a recipe to make salmon more palatable.

• Pre-heat your oven to 325
• In the meantime, mix one teaspoon of pure maple syrup with one cup of orange juice.
• Marinate the salmon filets for about ten minutes
• Remove salmon from the marinade, and coat with a tablespoon of sugar free orange marmalade
• Place a handful of of Dorrito Lime Tortilla Chips in a baggie.
• Crush the chips with the palm of your hand
• Sprinkle the chips over the marmalade
• Place in a stick free pan, and cover with aluminum foil
• Bake for about 25 minutes
• Serve and enjoy!

Low Fat Pasta Recipe

Ask any runner what she eats prior to a marathon, and she will probably answer "pasta." pasta is not only high in energy-supplying carbohydrates: It is an excellent source of folic acid, which prevents birth defects in unborn children. Folic acid can also prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer. Although some women avoid pasta dishes because they believe that they are fattening, there are actually some low fat cooking methods for creating delicious pasta dishes. Since the high fat part of the pasta dish is in the sauce and the cheese, consider this alternative from the folks at "I Love Pasta" online.

Gnocchi with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and Portabella Mushrooms

If you've never tried gnocchi, you don't know what you're missing! Gnocchi is actually a potato dumpling in a pasta crust. So when you eat gnocchi, you are getting the folic acid and carbohydrate from the pasta and the potassium from the potatoes. Gnocchi will cook much faster than regular pasta, so be sure to watch the pot. You will need:

• One package of gnocchi
• One package of sun dried tomatoes
• One package of pine nuts
• Four tablespoons of sweet basil
• One package of portabella mushrooms
• Olive oil- as much as you need to satisfy your taste
• One teaspoon of maple syrup
• Low fat grated Romano cheese-to taste

Before you boil the gnocchi, place the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water. Allow them to soak for as long as possible. This gets rid of the overly salty taste. Prepare the gnocchi according to the directions on the package. When the sun-dried tomatoes have softened, heat some olive oil in a pan. Add the maple syrup and the basil. Then add the sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for about five minutes, and then add the portabella mushrooms. Sauté for another five minutes, and then add the pine nuts. Sprinkle the mixture over the gnocchi, and then add the Romano cheese.

Aside from the carbohydrates and folic acid from the gnocchi, the olive oil in this recipe can reduce the risk of:

• High Blood Pressure
• A Weakened Immune System
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Some Malignant Tumors
• Heart Disease
• High Cholesterol Levels

The sun-dried tomatoes contain Lycopene, which is a antioxidant that fights free radicals in the body. Sun dried tomatoes have 12 times the amount of Lycopene than a raw tomato. Research has shown that a tomato rich diet can reduce the risk of

• Digestive Disorders
• Breast, Lung and Cervical Cancers
• Heart Disease

Nutrients to Make You Boom in the Boomer Years

Recently, people have been saying, "40 is the new 30." Indeed, the 40-year-old women, and even the 50 and 60-year old are far more vibrant and energetic than the women of the generation before them. Why is this? Part of the reason has to do with exercise. The other part is probably based on the fact that in the past two decades, women are becoming far savvier about nutrition. To keep up with the booming beauty trend, here are some of the nutrients that should be an essential part of your diet:

• Calcium: The recommended amount of calcium that post-menopausal women require to maintain bone strength is between 1,200 and 1,500 milligrams a day
• Vitamin E: About 200-600iu per day of Vitamin E can help many menopausal problems such as hot flushes, night sweats, palpitations and vaginal dryness.
• Vitamin C: When combined with hesperidin, 1, 000 mg. of Vitamin C is useful for preventing flushing and other circulatory problems.

Foods for Healthy Skin

One of the most important side benefits of a healthy diet is its effect on your skin. In fact, for many women, their skin is a direct reflection of the type of foods they are putting into their bodies. Although there are many excellent products that can improve your skin from the outside in, for best results, it behooves you to use nutrition to improve your skin from the inside out. These are some of the best foods for creating healthy, glowing skin:

• Water: Drinking eight glasses of water a day are essential for keeping your skin young and hydrated.
• Citrus Fruits: Citrus fruits contain Vitamin C, an antioxidant that fights the free radical that can cause breakouts, sun damage, etc.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil helps maintain the skin's moisture and elasticity
• Avocado: Avocados are an excellent source of Vitamin E, which, like Vitamin C, is also an anti-oxidant. As such, avocados have been known to delay the aging of the skin.
• Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin A, which is needed to combat sun damage.

News Flash: Healthy Snacking is Good for You!

Ideas about healthy eating have certainly changed since the 1950s! Once upon a time, mothers all over the world used to tell their kids not to eat between meals. Now we've discovered that snacking is actually good for you! Who knew?

Consider the following scenario: It's 11:30 AM, and you are extremely hungry. Today, the boss has planned a big lunch at the local buffet restaurant. That's the good news. The bad news is that lunch is not until 2:00 PM. do you:

1. Wait until 2:00 and then binge on everything at the buffet?
2. Grab a low calorie snack, and then enjoy a normal meal at the buffet.

If you answered B, good for you! Snacking is a great way to prevent the binge eating that always leads to weight gain. Snacking has another important benefit: it helps you maintain a higher energy level throughout the day.

Healthy Between-Meal Snacks

So now that we have given you the okay to eat between meals, what should you eat. Here are some low-calorie snacks that will keep you energetic throughout the day, while they satisfy your hunger:

• Whole Grain snacks, such as crackers and whole grain breads are high in fiber and carbohydrates.
• Fruits and vegetables, such as grapes, oranges, bananas, carrots and snow peas not only satisfy your hunger: They are great for your skin and hair!
• Air Popped Popcorn: Although popcorn does not have an impressive nutrients, provided that you do not smother it was butter, it is low in calories and extremely filling.

Nutrition for Beautiful Hair

By now, you have probably figured out that what you eat will have a profound influence on how you look. We already know that proper nutrition promotes great skin. Guess what? Eating the right foods can also enhance the appearance of your hair! These are the nutrients that are necessary for healthy hair:

• Protein: Iron rich protein foods can "pump iron" into your hair follicles, which will promote healthy hair growth
• Vitamin C: Vitamin C improves your body's ability to absorb iron
• B Vitamins: B Vitamins help create the red blood cells that carry the nutrients to your scalp.
• Zinc: Zinc is crucial for tissue growth and repair. This includes hair growth.
  
  

Healthy Breakfasts

Studies performed by the Mayo Clinic have confirmed what most of us already know: There are many benefits to eating a healthy breakfast. The researchers discovered that people who ate a healthy breakfast consumed more vitamin and mineral rich foods throughout the day. They also had better concentration and productivity. It gets better. People who ate a healthy breakfast had lower cholesterol, and had any easier time controlling their weight.

To get the most health benefits from your breakfast, be sure to choose one food from each of the following food groups.

• Fruits: Oranges or grapefruit for breakfast are a great source of Vitamin C.
• Grains: Whole grain foods such as cereals or whole grain breads can provide energy throughout the day.
• Dairy: Choose low-fat products such as low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese.
• Protein: Hard boiled eggs have far less fat than scrambled eggs.

Replace Old Behaviors

A successful diet requires that you not only drop the old behavior (like afternoon munching) but that you replace it with a new behavior (like walking or scrapbooking.)

A Food That’s Berry Good For You

To give yourself a healthy dose of antioxidants, put berries in your shopping cart on a weekly basis. Any berries (including raspberries and blackberries) are healthy, but blueberries are especially high in antioxidants called anthocyanins, which may fight off Alzheimer’s disease and certain cancers, and they have also been associated with muscle repair; a plus for any women's diet, especially active women.

Berries make great ingredients in a fruit smoothie (and you can even toss frozen berries right into the blender; no need to thaw them first). But don’t stop there; you can mix them into yogurt or ice cream or just eat them by the handful. And berries make great low-calorie snacks. Most berries weigh in at just 60 calories per cup, so you can enjoy them guilt-free.

Fresh berries are wonderful when they are in season at your local farmer’s market, but frozen berries are just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts. And they will keep in the freezer for up to 9 months, so they are always ready to eat.

Nutrition Label Must-Knows: Total Fat And Serving Size

Nutrition charts on food packages can be confusing, but they do have information that can help you plan a healthy diet, whether you are counting calories, looking for more protein or trying to keep your fat intake healthy.

Some nutrition chart pointers:

• Check the serving size. The nutrition information, including calories, is based on one serving, not one package. For example, a can of soup may contain two or more servings. That means if you have the whole can, you are getting double the calories on the nutrition label.
• Check the fat breakdown. Nutrition labels break down fat content from total fat into saturated and unsaturated fat. Some fat is essential for a healthy diet, but check nutrition charts for foods with more “good fats,” which include the unsaturated fats found in nuts, lean meats and lowfat dairy foods.

One way to keep track of all this nutrition information is to use the nutrition charts and calorie counters on Fitnessmagazine.com. You can create a healthy diet using these charts. Just visit the site and register to get access to all the charting features.

Reach for Water

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to increase your water intake. It helps flush fat from your body and makes dieting easier. So ditch the diet drinks and reach for water.

The Most Important Nutrients in a Women's Diet

Although many women might occasionally glance at the nutrition charts, some remain unaware of the essential nutrients that should be included in any women's diet. Quite often, women who only eat low calorie foods and low calorie snacks may find themselves lacking the nutrients that control the female metabolism and promote optimal health. Here are some of the most important nutrients that should be included in any women's diet.

• Magnesium, which is found in nuts, spinach, soy and certain types of fish can prevent insomnia, high blood pressure and problems with vision.
• Potassium, which is found in foods such as bananas and baked potatoes, are responsible for muscular contraction, which in turn improves athletic performance.
• Selenium, which is found in Brazil nuts, some types of fish and pasta can prevent hot flashes in menopausal women
• Zinc, found in foods such as chickpeas and baked beans, promotes healthy skin, hair and joints
• Iron is particularly important for women who are still menstruating. Loss of iron can lead to anemia. Iron is found in red meat, spinach, egg yolks and fortified cereals.
• Calcium, which is found in dairy products is important for maintaining bone density.

Low-Calorie Snacks Can Fit A Low Budget

Energy bars and gels can be good low-calorie snacks for women on the go, but they can be expensive, and many of them aren’t really low in calories. A standard energy bar can be anywhere from 150 to nearly 300 calories.

Other options for low-calorie snacks include the prepackaged 100-calorie packs of many popular snack foods, such as Chips Ahoy cookies. But you can make your own low-calorie snack packs by dividing a bag of healthy chips, nuts, trail mix or air-popped popcorn into small Ziploc bags to take to work or to the gym.

Want a low-calorie chocolate fix? Most lowfat or no sugar added hot cocoa packets weigh in at about 60 calories per packet, and some brands have added calcium, too.