Category: Healthy Home

Five Sneaky Tricks to Increase Your Hydration

Post author By Kristin
Post date January 23, 2021

According to the CDC the average American adult drinks about 39 ounces of water per day. This is below the recommended amount. If you are like many adults who wish to increase your water intake, read on for five sneaky tricks to increase your fluid intake.

Why should I drink more water?

Water is essential for life. Your body is about 60% water. You need water for temperature regulation, clear thinking, eliminating waste, and proper circulation.

Drinking adequate amounts of water prevents dehydration, keeps your skin healthy, reduces fatigue, prevents constipation, and reduces the risk of kidney stones.

How much water do I need?

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommends that healthy men consume 3.7 Liters ( 125 ounces) and healthy women consume 2.7 Liters or 91 ounces of water each day.

These are just guidelines for adults with average activity. There are other factors that could change your water needs such as physical activity, climate, age, sex, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Warm climate could increase your fluid intake needs.

How can I increase my hydration?

Increasing your daily fluid intake could be as easy as just setting a goal and finding ways to stick to it. If you don’t really care for drinking plain water than finding ways to flavor it could help. Maybe you just need to find ways to fit drinking more fluids into your daily routine. Read on for some great ways to increase your daily fluid intake.

1.Set a goal to increase your fluid intake

Use an app to keep track of your water consumption goals.

If you already enjoy drinking water you may just need to set a goal and find a way to stick to it. Believe it or not there are plenty of apps out there to help you keep track of your water consumption goals. These apps will be best used with a water bottle with measurement marks on it to help you keep track of your consumption.

2. Flavor your water to help increase your fluid consumption

Tea is a great way to flavor your water.

If you struggle to drink plain water it may really help if you flavor your water. I like to infuse fruit flavor into my water. My favorite is lemon, but there are plenty of fruits and vegetables that can give your water a pleasant flavor without adding too may calories. I like to use a water pitcher with infuser to add fruit to my water because it keeps the seeds out of my water. It is also easy to clean out and refresh the fruit. If you prefer you could drink iced or hot tea as an alternative to plain water or fruit infused water. It’s best to try decaffeinated teas if possible. I’d recommend trying several teas before you rule this out. There are so many different teas you could try; there has to be at least one you would like.

3. Make drinking water a habit to help increase your hydration.

You can easily increase your fluid intake by making drinking water part of your daily routine. Jim Kwik, author of Limitless has a great example of this in his morning brain enhancing routine. He drinks a tall glass of water every morning to help replace overnight losses from breathing. You could also make it a habit to drink a tall glass of water before each meal. This can also help you to eat less and could improve your weight loss goals.

4. Eat your water to help increase your fluid consumption.

Celery is 95% water

Simply increasing you consumption of fruits and vegetables could help to increase your overall fluid consumption. Some fruits and vegetables are very high in water. Examples of fruits and vegetables with the high water content are cabbage, celery, watermelon, peaches, bell peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, oranges, cantaloupe, and strawberries. Other foods with high fluid content are yogurt, cottage cheese, and soup. Try adding some of these foods to your diet. You could swap French fries for coleslaw, or swap a sandwich for a salad or soup. Have a breakfast smoothie or try my Immune Boosting granola with yogurt.

Immune boosting-granola served with yogurt.

Nutrient Packed Smoothie vs. Smoothie Bowls

5. Keep water convenient to help increase consumption.

Find a water bottle you love and make sure to take it with you. Make sure it fits into the cup holder in your car. Find one with a handle that is easy to carry, or invest in a water bottle carrier.

Leave a glass of water on your night stand at night. Keep a glass near you at work. Fill a pitcher with plain or fruit infused water and keep it in the refrigerator. Keep a tray of fresh sliced fruit or veggies in your refrigerator.

Grab and Go veggie tray to keep in your fridge.

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Healthy Home Recipes

Pharmacist Shares Immune Boosting Granola Recipe

Post author By Kristin
Post date November 19, 2020
No Comments on Pharmacist Shares Immune Boosting Granola Recipe

Customers are flooding into local pharmacies in search of immune boosting supplements. Many of these immune boosting ingredients can easily be included in your diet. It’s much less expensive to eat your vitamins than to purchase supplements. I’m a pharmacist and I would love to share my recipe for Immune Boosting Granola. Granola is a quick and easy breakfast or snack that can easily be added to any daily meal plan. Add some to you favorite yogurt or just pack it for a quick and easy snack.

Disclaimer: The statements made regarding this recipe have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of this recipe has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. This recipe is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Immune Boosting Nutrients

In order to make an immune boosting recipe, one first needs to know which nutrients are known to boost immunity. I have compiled a list of immune boosting vitamins and minerals, because adding more to your diet can help boost your immunity.

Vitamin C- There is research to support Vitamin C supplementation in reducing the length and severity of respiratory infections.¹ Vitamin C plays an important role in immune response.

Zinc – Plenty of research is certainly available supporting zinc supplementation in reducing the length and severity of infections.¹ Zinc is an important player in immune response.

Vitamin D – There is some evidence that vitamin D could reduce the risk of Influenza and COVID-19 infections and death.²

Vitamin B6- A deficiency in Vitamin B6 reduces your ability to make antibodies to fight off infection. Vitamin B6 could help strengthen immunity.³

Vitamin E- Immune response is enhanced by Vitamin E. It can provide protection against infections.⁴

Selenium- The immune system relies on adequate dietary selenium.⁵

Immune Boosting Ingredients

I selected my granola ingredients to include as many immune boosting vitamins and minerals as possible so they can help boost immunity. Here is a list of my ingredients because it is important to understand why they were included in my recipe.

Elderberry syrup (find it here): Elderberry syrup is also used to enhance immunity. Elderberries are high in flavonoids, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. It may also help reduce symptoms of viral infections by stimulating immune response.⁶
Matcha (find it here): Another natural superfood, matcha is green tea powder. It is made by grinding green tea leaves into a fine powder. Regular consumption of green tea could decrease influenza infection rates and cold symptoms.⁷
Hemp hearts(find them here), pumpkin seeds and Flax Seeds: I included all of these mostly for the zinc and omega 3 and 6. These polyunsaturated fats also have been extensively studied for their role in immune health.⁸
Nuts: These serve as a good source of selenium and zinc. I also chose Brazil nuts because they have the highest amount of selenium. Cashews are also high in zinc.
Sunflower seeds: These seeds also have some healthy fats, but I chose them mostly because they are an excellent source of vitamin E. They are also a good source of selenium and vitamin B6.
Ginger: Can also help reduce the severity of respiratory infections.⁹
Blueberries: Another natural superfood. Blueberries are a good source of Vitamin C. I included them because they are one of the best sources of antioxidants, mostly flavonoids.

Immune Boosting Granola Recipe

Ingredients:

4 Cups Oats

1 Cup mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, and Brazil nuts)

1/4 Cup sunflower seeds

1 Cup shelled pumpkin seeds

1/4 Cup hemp hearts

1 Tablespoon matcha powder

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

2 Tablespoons flax seed

1/3 Cup dried cranberries

1/2 Cup shredded dry coconut

1/3 Cup dried blueberries

1/2 Cup honey

1/3 Cup Peanut butter

2 Tablespoons Elderberry Syrup

1/3 Cup coconut oil

Directions:

First preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, matcha, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and flax seed. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl mix the peanut butter, coconut oil, honey, elderberry syrup. Once mixed, pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until evenly coated.

Cover a Jelly Roll Pan with parchment paper. Spread the granola over the paper. Bake for 15 min. Remove from the oven and mix in the dried coconut. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove and mix again. If the coconut is not completely toasted, bake for 2 more minutes or until most of the coconut is toasted but not burnt. Lastly, remove from the oven and stir in the dried fruit while the granola is still warm. Finally, allow the granola to cool to room temperature. Although it is difficult not to finish it all in one sitting, you may have some leftover. If so, you can store in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Immune Boosting Granola Served with Yogurt

Immune-Boosting-Granola Printable recipe

Granola makes a great gift!

References:

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Healthy Home Recipes

Easy DIY Guacamole Recipe

Post author By Kristin
Post date September 16, 2020
No Comments on Easy DIY Guacamole Recipe

Photo by Tessa Rampersad on Unsplash

Today is national guacamole day! So I thought I should share my favorite guacamole recipe. Be sure to check out my links below to learn how to pit an avocado with a chef knife and how to mince garlic without a garlic press. DIY guacamole sure beats buying the store bought variety. Enjoy my favorite authentic guacamole recipe.

How to make guacamole

Easy guacamole recipe:

Guacamole Ingredients:

3 Avocados

1 medium onion finely chopped

3 garlic cloves

juice of one lime

3 Roma tomatoes diced

2-3 jalapenos diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro minced

Directions:

Pit peel and mash the avocados. See how to pit an avocado for a quick tutorial. Mince the garlic. See how to mince garlic without a garlic press. Slice the lime in half, to obtain more juice place the halves in a microwave for 15 seconds before juicing. Mix all ingredients. Enjoy this guacamole recipe with tortilla chips.

Love jalapenos? Check out my jalapeno popper recipe.

Need more Appetizer and dip ideas? Check out these suggestions.

How do you pit an avocado?

Slicing and pitting an avocado is a simple process if you know what you are doing. All you need is a chef knife a kitchen towel a cutting board and a spoon to scoop out the delicious nutritious fruit. Anyone can enjoy making their own guacamole!

, you

How do you mince garlic without a garlic press?

I’m not a big fan of crowding my kitchen with tools and utensils that are only able to form one task, uni-taskers as Alton Brown likes to say. One thing no kitchen needs is a garlic press. It is so easy to peel and mince garlic with a good quality chef knife. The Chef knife can be used for may other things and takes up less space than a garlic press. Every kitchen needs a chef knife, no kitchen needs a garlic press. Enjoy making your own home meds guacamole!

Is Guacamole good for you?

All of the ingredients in guacamole except for salt are very healthy. Most of the benefits of guacamole are in the healthy fruits and vegetables. Avocados are an excellent source of healthy fats, fiber, and many vitamins. Onions, tomatoes, peppers, limes and garlic are all healthy fruits and vegetables. The only unhealthy thing about eating guacamole is that it is most often served with tortilla chips.

Do you have to serve guacamole with tortilla chips?

If you want to keep your guacamole healthy you can exchange the tortilla chips for baked whole grain pita chips, or spread it on a slice of whole wheat toast. You can also use it as a sandwich spread along with other healthy sandwich topping such as turkey, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, on whole wheat bread or wrapped in a whole grain tortilla. Guacamole also makes a great side for eggs or chicken breast.

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Easy-Guacamole-Recipe_Download

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Healthy Home Recipes

Best Beet Green Recipe

Sauteed beet greens

Why I eat Beet Greens and you should too

I have to credit my father-in-law for this delicious sauteed beet green recipe. He is quite the chef. I’ll probably have plenty more of his tasty recipes to share. This one is a delicious way to use a food many people throw away! Wasting food is terrible, but wasting delicious and nutritious food is even worse. According to Jo Robinson, author of Eating on the Wild Side, beet greens are more nutritious than the beets themselves.

My father-in-law was a child during world war II. Because if this he grew up learning to use all of the food that was provided. Some of his childhood stories make 2020 sound like a picnic. Next time your teens are complaining about wearing masks or giving up football have them read Stolen Childhood. This book is a story similar to what my father-in-law went through and a great explanation for why he has so many tips and tricks for using up left overs and scraps. Through him I learned that beet greens are not scraps!

Where to find Beet Greens

Back to the beets. First you will have to find beets with the greens still attached. Many chain grocery stores will remove them and throw them away! I know it’s really sad. You could grow them your self, find them at a farmers market or a good organic produce store. Don’t get discouraged. If you do manage to find beets with the greens attached, as an added bonus you will know you have found yourself a fresh beet. The beet roots will last a long time on the grocers shelf, but the greens will begin to wilt sooner, which is probably why they tend to remove them. Buy beets with the greens!

Sauteed Beet Greens Recipe

Now for the sauteed beet greens recipe. Start by removing the greens from the beets. Save the beets for later. I’ll share some great beet recipes soon.

Ingredients:

Stems and leaves form 3 beets

1 medium onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Soak the beet greens and thoroughly wash them.

Chop the stems and leaves. Set aside Mince one onion. Sauté onion in a frying pan with the olive oil until softened. Add the chopped stems and leaves and continue to sauté until softened. Add the lemon juice and toss to coat.

Sauteed beet greens with onions and lemon juice

Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.

Prepared beet greens

Serve warm. This dish makes a delicious side for beef or chicken.

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Sauteed-Beet-Greens Print Recipe

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Healthy Home Recipes

Salads for packed Lunches – Save Time and Money

Post author By Kristin
Post date September 3, 2020
1 Comment on Salads for packed Lunches – Save Time and Money

4 tasty salad ideas for packed lunches

Salads are healthy

It’s that time of year again. Time to start packing some lunches. Are your kids getting tired of sandwiches? Maybe it’s time to switch things up and try something new. How about a packing a nice healthy and delicious salads for lunch? It’s good to get kids started early with a nice variety of veggies in their diet. Try these tasty salads for packed lunches.

Use your leftovers and save money

These tasty salads are also a really good way to use some of your meal leftovers. I love finding creative ways to use my leftovers. Approximately 30-40 percent of the American food supply is wasted.¹ We should all do our part to use our leftovers. Teaching the next generation not to waste food is a huge part of that. Teach your kids to eat the leftover food! Eating your leftovers is also a huge cost savings, it’s estimated that on average, each American household wastes over $1800 of food each year!² Using up your leftover food leads to having more money for other things and a happier less stressful life.³ Here are 4 salads my family enjoys:

4 Tasty Salads for packed Lunches

#1 Caesar Salads for packed lunches

Caesar salad for packed lunch

Caesar salad is very simple. Traditionally romaine lettuce is the base, although you could also add some baby spinach or other greens for variety. Croutons, Parmesan cheese and a good Caesar dressing is really all you need. I prefer to buy my Caesar dressing in the refrigerated section of the produce department. My favorite is Marzetti Supreme Caesar dressing. If you would prefer a heartier option add some sliced grilled chicken or fresh bacon bits. This salad is an excellent choice when you have some left over grilled chicken. I used a 2 compartment container, but a 3 compartment container would be ideal for packing because you could keep the dressing and croutons separated until you are read to eat lunch.

#2 Pasta Salads for packed lunches

Pasta salad is another family favorite. I usually use Organic Garofalo Tricolor Rotini as the base, but any leftover pasta will do. Just add your favorite veggies. I like to make this one after family pizza night. I add the unused pizza toppings like chopped red onion, black olives, salami strips and mini pepperonis. Other excellent options to mix in are sliced cucumber, mini baby mozzarella balls, and cherry tomatoes. I dress my pasta salad with Kraft Zesty Italian and McCormick Perfect Pinch Salad Supreme Seasoning . Once again I used a 2 compartment container for this salad. It works great this way because I can add some fruit on the side. A single compartment container would work well for this salad. I love Fit and Fresh Containers because the lids stay on well and the have an optional freezer pack you can use with them.

Pasta Salad packed for lunch.

#3 Taco Salads for packed lunch

Taco salad is the perfect salad to pack for lunch on Wednesday, following Taco Tuesday. I usually just pack up all of the leftover toppings I sliced for Tacos. Chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Top with cheese and some leftover taco meat. I mix up sour cream with salsa for the dressing and put it on the side to mix in when ready to eat. I used a two compartment container to pack this one, but once again a three compartment container would be better because you could add a side of tortilla chips!

#4 Super-food Salads for packed lunch

I call this super food salad because it is dressed with poppy seed dressing which works well with so many super healthy foods. I used mixed greens with romaine, dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds on my salad. This salad also loves all types of nuts, seeds, berries, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, and Swiss cheese. Get creative with it. I buy my poppy seed dressing in the refrigerated section of produce. Marzetti has a great one. This salad works well, packed for lunch in a 2 compartment container but would also work well in a three compartment container if you want to keep your nuts or seeds crunchier you could separate them when packing and mix them in when ready to eat lunch.

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