Looking for a new way to flavor your foods?

If you are trying to cut back on salt, but find your foods are lacking in flavor, here are some blends that may help. You can combine these ingredients in a jar and cover tightly. Shake before sprinkling on foods and store in a dry, dark place.

Chinese five-spice (for chicken, fish, or pork)
Blend 1/4 cup of ground ginger, 2 tablepoons of ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of ground all-spice, 1 tablespoon of anise seeds, and 2 teaspoons of ground cloves.

Mixed herb blend (for salads, pasta salads, steamed veggies, vegetable soup, or fish)
Blend 1/4 cup of dried parsley flakes, 2 tablespoons of dried tarragon, 1 tablespoon of dried oregano, 1 tablespoon of dill weed, and 1 tablespoon of celery flakes.

Curry blend (for rice, lentil, veggie dishes, and chicken)
Blend 2 tablespoons of turmeric, 2 tablespoons of ground coriander, 1 tablespoon of ground cumin, 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of powdered cloves, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.

Italian blend (for tomato-based soups, pasta dishes, chicken, pizza, focaccia, and herbed bread)
Blend 2 tablespoons of dried basil, 2 tablespoons of dried marjoram, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of dried oregano, 2 teaspoons of thyme, 2 teaspoons of crushed dried rosemary, and 2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper.

Mexican chile blend (for chili with beans, enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, chicken, pork, and beef)
Blend 1/4 cup of chile powder, 1 tablespoon of ground cumin, 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of ground red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Greek blend (for seafood, poultry, and herbed bread)
Blend 3 tablespoons of garlic powder, 3 tablespoons of dried lemon peel, 2 tablespoons of dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.

Easy dip blend (for mixing with cottage cheese, low-fat sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, chicken, or fish)
Blend 1/4 cup of dried dill weed, 1 tablespoon of dried chives, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of dried lemon peel, and 1 tablespoon of dried chervil.

Resource:
American Dietetic Association (now called the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, p. 167

Stay hydrated this summer

The warmer temperatures are a good reminder to make sure we are drinking plenty of fluids. Here are some tips to make sure you are staying hydrated:

• Water is the best thing you can drink. Our bodies are 45-75% water, so it is definitely an essential nutrient. If plain water is too boring or doesn't fit your taste, try adding some lemon, lime, or a calorie-free flavoring.
• Check the color of your urine. It may sound gross, but it's an indicator of your hydration level. Urine should be clear to very light yellow. If it is darker yellow, you need to drink more fluids. 
• Carry around a cup or bottle of water around the house, at work, or in the car. This makes it easy to sip water all day.
• Limit caffeine. Too much caffeine can cause a mild diuretic effect, so go easy on the caffeinated drinks.
• Limit juices. If you drink fruit juice, make sure it's 100% fruit juice. Even then, you should limit fruit juice intake to no more than 4 ounces a day (that goes for kids too). Too much juice adds too much extra sugar to our diets.
• Milk is a good choice to get your calcium, vitamin D, and some protein. Switch to low-fat (1%, 1/2% or skim) if you are drinking whole milk or 2%. You will still get the same nutrients, but less fat. Chocolate milk (1%) is a good snack after working out, it can help replenish your muscles.
• If you do not like milk or cannot tolerate it, try another non-dairy alternate. Soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk, almond milk, etc can provide similar nutrients to milk. Check the labels and make sure it has been fortified with calcium and vitamin D and does not have extra sugar added. 
• Avoid energy drinks. There is absolutely no benefit or reason for children or adults to consume these drinks
• Cut back on soda if you drink it. Regular soda can add extra sugar to our diets and lead to weight gain. The jury's still out on if diet soda makes you crave sweets more and the link to weight gain, so just limit sodas or quit drinking them altogether. 
• Cut back on sweet tea. You can get used to drinking unsweetened tea, but it does take some training. If unsweetened tea is too boring, try adding some flavor with lemon and a calorie-free powder or one of the tea-flavored powders (such as Crystal Light). Sweetened tea can add a lot of extra sugar to our diets. Unsweetened tea or water are much better choices. 
• Sports drinks, such as Gatorade or Powerade, are not necessary for most of us. If you are exercising hard for over an hour or playing sports for an extended amount of time (a tournament or multiple games) then a sports drink may be necessary. But for most casual exercisers or kids playing one game, plain water is just fine. Sports drinks do have extra electrolytes, but we also get those electrolytes (sodium, potassium) from lots of foods. 
• Bottled water is not necessarily better. Some bottled water is very similar to tape water, but has been filtered. These is no health benefit or nutritional difference in bottled water. Actually, bottled water does not have fluoride, like most public water supplies do have, which is good for children and teens teeth. It can be more convenient, but is also more expensive.

12 Common Workout Myths Debunked

I came across an article in the Huffington Post called "12 Common Workout Myths Debunked" and it was a great summary of a lot of the information that I try to share with individuals who are physically active or wanting to be more active. Here are the 12 myths listed in the article and I have added my commentary after each myth. You will also find more information in the article from the Huffington Post.

• Sit-ups and crunches are most effective for six pack abs. There are a variety of exercises that will target your core (abs and back) muscles. Core exercises coupled with healthy eating help tone the tummy.
• Cardio burns the most calories. Cardio may burn more calories while you are doing it, but weight training burns calories during AND after activity. It will help keep your metabolism going long after activity and more muscle burns more calories.
• Stretching is best before working out. Stretching is best when your body is already warmed up, so start with a simple warm-up (walking or marching in place for 5 minutes) before activity. Stretching can be done as a cool down at the end of activity to help improve flexibility and help prevent soreness.
• Weight lifting will bulk you up. Women will not bulk up from a regular weight training program. Our bodies do not have the testosterone to do this. Weight lifting will help burn calories and tone our muscles so do not be afraid to challenge yourself with weight training. No need to avoid heavier weights either, if a weight does not feel difficult after about 8-12 repetitions, it is not heavy enough.
• You need eight glasses of water daily. Listen to your thirst and drink accordingly. Pay attention to the color of your urine (it should be very light yellow to clear) and if it is too dark, you need more fluids. Replacing higher calorie beverages (soda, sweet tea, energy drinks) with water can also help with weight loss efforts.
• Go gluten-free to lose weight. Gluten-free products are not necessarily healthier than products with gluten and it certainly is not necessary to avoid gluten unless you have a medical reason. Gluten-free products may have more sugar than products with gluten.
• It's too late to get in shape. It is never too late to start being physically active, even if you start with 5-10 minutes a day and work up from there. Set goals for yourself and see what progress you can make.
• You need a long workout. A workout lasting 20-30 minutes can be just an effective as a longer workout, provided you are using your time efficiently. An even shorter workout is better than no workout at all.
• You need a gym membership to get results. A gym works for some people, but there are many exercises you can do at home or outside. Walking in a park or doing an exercise DVD at home are easy ways to stay active without a gym membership. You can also do many weight exercises and stretches at home, including push-ups, crunches, squats, lunges, etc.
• If you are not in pain, you are not working hard enough. Soreness is common after activity, but too much is not a good thing. Too much could mean injury or that you overdid it. It is best to listen to your body and stop before pain occurs.
• You can spot reduce fat. You do not have a lot of choices on where the fat comes off when it does. The best way to reduce overall fat is by eating healthy and physical activity, but where it comes off it not up to us. You can tone muscles in certain areas but doing activities for those muscles, but that will not affect the fat.
• More exercise is always better. Rest is necessary to help the body recover and rebuild. Too many intense sessions do not allow this to happen and can also burn you out.

Reference:
12 Common Workout Myths Debunked