Diet Essentials # 2: Flaxseed

I call this #2 essential ingredient in your healthy lifestyle change, the Secret Weapon. It has been cultivated as early as 3000 BC, but has only started to gain popularity in our culture recently. What is this secret weapon?

#2 Flaxseed

Flaxseed can be found in whole, ground, or oil form. I recommend using the ground flaxseed because the nutrients are more easily absorbed.

Why flaxseed?

Flaxseeds are known for their nutritional values that are proven to help reduce your risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, cancer, diabetes, and stroke. Recent studies suggest that flaxseed will not only help you lose weight, but it does it the right way - by burning fat. I'll get more in depth about the health benefits that flaxseeds provide, but first lets look at just what this little seed is packing.

What's in flaxseed?

1. Omega-3 fats: Yes, Omega-3s are a fatty acid, but they're the good kind of fats that do wonders for our bodies. Omega-3s are found in fish and are the main benefit of taking Fish Oil Supplements. Omega-3s are a known anti-inflammatory and can help reduce the inflammation that is a significant factor in conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches, and osteoporosis. Omega-3s also have heart healthy benefits. They produce substances that reduce the formation of blood clots, which can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with atherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease. Omega-3s are also needed to produce flexible cell membranes which are critical for people with diabetes since flexible cell membranes are much better able to respond to insulin and to absorb glucose than the stiff membranes that result when the diet is high in saturated and/or hydrogenated (trans-) fats. In the colon, omega-3s help protect colon cells from cancer-causing toxins and free radicals, leading to a reduced risk for colon cancer. Omega-3s are also proven to reduce high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and the risk of heart disease. Flaxseeds are a great source of these essential Omega-3 fats. In fact, 2 tablesoons of flaxseeds provide you with about 140% of your daily value of Omega-3s.
2. Lignans: Are special compounds that are converted into two hormone-like substances called enterolactone and enterodiol. Not only are lignans rich in antioxidants, but they demonstrate a number of protective effects against breast cancer and prostate cancer. I'm going to focus on the women here for a minute: Eating about an ounce of ground flaxseed each day will affect the way estrogen is handled in postmenopausal women in such a way that offers protection against breast cancer but will not interfere with estrogen's role in normal bone maintenance. In addition to lessening a woman's risk of developing cancer, the lignans abundant in flaxseed can promote normal ovulation and extend the second, progesterone-dominant half of the cycle. The benefits of these effects are manifold. For women trying to become pregnant, consistent ovulation significantly improves their chances of conception. For women between the ages of 35 and 55 who are experiencing peri-menopausal symptoms such as irregular menstrual cycles, breast cysts, headaches, sleep difficulties, fluid retention, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, weight gain, lowered sex drive, brain fog, fibroid tumors, and heavy bleeding, a probable cause of all these problems is estrogen dominance. Typically, during the 10 years preceding the cessation of periods at midlife, estrogen levels fluctuate while progesterone levels steadily decline. Flaxseed, by promoting normal ovulation and lengthening the second half of the menstrual cycle, in which progesterone is the dominant hormone, helps restore hormonal balance. For you men, the combination of the lignans and omega-3s in flaxseeds positively impacted the growth of tumors in men with prostate cancer. Studies suggest that the omega-3s in flaxseed alter how cancer cells lump together or cling to other cells, while flaxseed's anti-angiogenic lignans choke off the tumor's blood supply, thus helping to halt the cellular activity that leads to cancer growth.
3. Fiber: Fiber has a ton of health benefits and is also one of your best weapons against fat. The soluable fiber can lower cholesterol as well as help regulate blood sugar levels. The insoluable fiber aids in digestion and has been connected to reducing colon cancer. If you want to burn fat, fiber must be an essential component in your diet.

How does one use flaxseed?

Well I know that you are now totally convinced in the power of flaxseed, but before you run out to buy some make sure you know what you're buying. While flaxseed does come in three different forms, whole, ground, and oil, it is higly recommended that you use ground flaxseed. Not only is it the most versatile in terms of using it in your meals, it is also the only form that offers every single one of the benefits listed above. Ground flaxseed is also more easily digestable. If you want to look into the other two forms, by all means, go right ahead, but I will not endorse them here. Ground flaxseeds are available at any health food store (such as, Whole Foods) as well as nutrition stores like GNC. I get a vaccum sealed bag of ground flaxseed for $9.99 at GNC. The key to ground-flax seed is the packaging. Make sure it comes in a vaccum sealed package because it does spoil easily. Once you've opened it, you must keep the bag in the fridge. You may also choose to purchase whole flax seed and ground it yourself. This is a good idea as well. Ground only the amount you intend to use at the moment. This keeps the rest preserved until it's time to use it. If you do ground up more than you needed, keep it in a tightly sealed container in the fridge until you're ready to use it.

There are so many ways you can incorporate flaxseed into your diet. Flaxseed has a subtle nutty flavor. You can't even taste it in most foods, and in others it actually enhances the flavor of the meal. Here are just a few suggestions:

Sprinkle it on cereal or in oatmeal

Add flaxseeds to your homemade muffin, cookie, or bread recipe

Add it to a marinade for fish

To give cooked vegetables a nuttier flavor, sprinkle some ground flaxseeds on top of them

Add a tablespoon to smoothies

Add it to a marinade for fish

I have several recipes that incorporate flaxseed so check out my recipe entries. Now, what are you waiting for? Go out and get some flaxseed!

Diet Essentials # 1: WATER

First off, I HATE the word "diet". It just has a negative stigma about it. From now on I will refer to this "diet" as a healthy lifestyle change.

There are a few things that you MUST consume in your healthy eating transformation. I will donate an entry to each of them.

1. Water

This is the easiest thing that you can do to make the biggest difference in your healthy lifestyle change.

How much?

I'm sure you've heard plenty times over that you should drink at least 8 glasses a day. Which is just four 16oz bottles and is very doable, but ideally, each person's body requires a different amount of water so to decipher just how much water you need, take your body weight in pounds and divide that by two. The resulting number is how many ounces of water you should be drinking a day. For example, if you weigh 140lbs, divide that by 2 and you get 70. That is how many ounces of water you should consume daily. That might sound like a lot but when you divide it by 8oz servings, it's just 8.75 glasses a day (round it to 9!)

Certain people's lifestyles require more water consumption. If you're active, add one 8oz glass for every 20 minutes you are active. If you're serious about losing weight you shouldn't drink any alcohol, but if you must, limit it to 2 or 3 glasses a week. You then should balance it out by drinking an equal amount of water for how much alcohol you consumed.

What kind?

Ideally, you should drink just plain water as it comes naturally, but if you absolutely must have something with flavor you have a few options. One of the worst things for your health (and for your midsection) is soda - diet or not so try and cut it out completely. If you must drink it, then have one diet soda with your allowed cheat meal once a week. Other than that, stay far away! There are some great alternatives. An easy way to add a little flavor to your water is to squeeze a lemon or lime wedge into it.

Still not enough? Herbal teas are fine too and some teas actually give you added nutrients. If you add milk or sugar to your tea, you're defeating the purpose of it's weight-loss abilities. If you can't stand the flavor then you haven't had the right tea. For those looking for naturally sweet or very flavorful teas, I am a big fan of loose teas. My favorite? Teavana http://www.teavana.com/default.aspx If you must, you can add one packet of splenda for those of you with a sweet tooth. To use Teavana teas you need to get a tea maker (pictured on the left) which can be found on the website (click on the picture to go the exact page). They have a whole ton of teas to choose from. Just make sure you choose one from the herbal tea section. It would also help to read the health info on each tea as well. I recommend the Sweet Fruit Garden tea, Peppermint tea, Carribbean Breeze tea, and Raspberry Sangria tea. All of their teas have added health bonuses like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. I get migraines a lot so I drink peppermint tea and it makes it better. According to Teavana, their peppermint tea also, "soothes stomach and throat, calms nerves, and relieves aches and pains. Peppermint helps with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Acid Reflex. " Each of these teas can be made hot or iced. While these teas are good for you, be sure to take in some plain water as well. (And, no that isn't a fruit salad on your right, it's Teavana's Raspberry Sangria tea)

Tea isn't your thing? Replace your sugary drinks with a bottle of water and a packet of Crystal Light On-the-Go. Simply pour one packet into your bottle of water and it transforms into a juice, without all of the extra sugary calories. One packet of Crystal Light's Raspberry Ice is sugar-free and has just 5 calories per serving. A great alternative to soft drinks and juices.

Which ever variation you may choose, remember the goal is your water intake. Water is necessary for your body to function, so not only will you be helping your body function better, you will also be healthier - and, trust me, you will feel the difference. So drink up!

Miss America Fitness

Next year I will be competing in the preliminary competitions for Miss America so I am on a mission to get my body in the best possible shape. I figured if I start a year in advance I won't have to do any crazy crash dieting, I will be able to transform my body and my eating habits which will also have a positive impact on my health.

I am not a dieter - I love food way too much! I don't enjoy starving myself no matter how skinny it makes me. If I don't get enough food it makes me sick so I did tons of research until I came up with a plan that works for me. So I am doing a combination of the Weight Watchers Point System and the Abs Diet. I love to cook and I keep developing healthy (and yummy!) recipes which I will share with you all. Each recipe doesn't taste like you're on a diet. They are delicious and FILING! There is no point in dieting if you're still hungry after you eat your alloted meals so by finding the right foods, you can be satisfied and stick to your diet!

You will have to forgive me since I do a lot of measurements by eye and to taste but I will do my best to give you the most accurate measurements. I consider a recipe more like a guideline because there aren't any rules in cooking. If you like something, use it; if you don't, cut it out. Also, You can always add more but you can't take any out if you use too much. So start with the recommended amounts in the recipe and feel free to add more to taste. If you try one of my recipes with a variation, leave a comment and let me know how it turned out!

Happy Dieting!

It's my life, it's now or never, I ain't gonna live forever

So this is supposed to be the title of my blog, but it wouldn't fit. Yes, they're lyrics from the Bon Jovi song, "It's My Life".

Some of you may have read my other blog, Miss New York 2009 http://missnewyork2009.blogspot.com/ which I do continue to update with everything related to my work as Miss New York. However, I felt like there were things I wanted to write about that weren't really appropriate for that blog which is why I've created this one. So if you've read my other blog, you already know a bit about me, but if you haven't, all you really know is that I am Miss New York, but who I am doesn't stop there...

Notorious for defying stereotypes, I would trade my gown and my crown for a tent and some hiking boots anyday! I have a passion for beauty pageants - I'm Miss New York 2009 - 2010. I am also a professional model/actress/spokesmodel. When the make-up comes off and I kick off my heels, you can find me sporting my football jersey as I cheer on my Dallas Cowboys, or rolling around with my four-legged daughter, Maggie, whose bark truly is bigger than her bite. I am drawn towards adventure and have a thing for the outdoors. I enjoy kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, and attempting to ski. If I had things my way, I would spend all summer in a tent in the mountains by the lake. If I hit the lotto, I would pick up my life and travel around the world, and I am sure that I would ultimately conclude my tour in Australia and stay there for good. Ideally, I want Kelly Ripa's or Oprah's job, but I'm being realistic so when I FINALLY finish school, I hope to be a high school English teacher or a college professor. I've gotten a head start though, things are in the works and in 2010 I will be a published author. I'm a pretty simple person with a complex life, but it doesn't take much to make me happy. I'm content staying in and watching a movie with my boyfriend or going for coffee with my friends. This is me in 250 words :)