Author Archives: Kimberly Crocker

Tea’s: Body Healing and Weight Loss

Tea’s

 Tea’s are earning a place in our diet as the secret’s of health and longetivy are revealed to us from the Continent of Asia. A brief description on the following 6 popular tea’s will help you identify one that you can sip and enjoy. Learn more about how  Asia shares White Tea and it’s Benefits  and how Tea’s Combat: Weightloss, Anxiety, Cholesterol, High bp

  1. White Tea
  2. Kava Kava Tea
  3. Black Tea
  4. Oolong Tea
  5. Grean Tea
  6. Itadori Tea

WHITE TEA is light and mild in taste and considered to be good for your health. According to the researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, white tea may be used to fight cancer as well as acting as a deterrent.  The tea is nowadays mostly grown in the Fujian Province and there are generally two major producing counties, Zheng He and Fuding.

 “Kava Kava Tea….has been used to treat anxiety/nervous disorders, migraines, hyperactivity in children, insomnia, menstrual cramps, UTI and bladder problems.  Kava was used by the Germans in the 1890s for pharmaceuticals relating to blood pressure; before then, it was utilized by the Polynesians”, based on collected research at A 2 Z Health, Beauty and Fitness.

Black Tea improves circulation,  by opening the capillaries and normalizing blood pressure (bp).  Benefits are noticed by simply drinking 2 cups of black tea 2x’s a day for 3 weeks.  Additional benefits are contributed to the theophylline in black tea that helps improve cholesterol levels. It also has been known to expand the airways, improving on easier breathing for asthmatics.  Black tea also helps with preventing tooth decay due to the Fluoride, a trace element found in black tea, which strengthens tooth enamel.

Oolong Tea burns over 157% more fat than Green Tea and has become the most popular tea designed to accelerate weigh loss!!!  Drinking two cups of Oolong tea every day helps shed stubborn pounds by boosting your metabolism and blocking the fattening effects of carbohydrates. It has also been linked to improving the function of the pancreas with those who suffer from diabetes.

GREEN TEA 

 A few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

Acne  ·     cancer ·     rheumatoid arthritis  ·     high cholesterol levels  ·     cariovascular  disease  ·     infection ·     impaired immune function

From About.com…”The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, without harming healthy tissue, promotes cellular DNA and membrane structure, ( Great for Acne). It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots.  The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the “French Paradox.” For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet.  In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Why don’t other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed.  Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases. Read More

“Itadori Tea and red wine both supply relatively high concentrations of resveratrol,” states the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry.  Furthemore their studies have shown that, ”For people who do not consume alcohol, Itadori tea may be a suitable substitute for red wine.” More studies are being done on Itadori Tea to better understand the effects and benefits of it on the body, as well as, how the non-flavonoid resveratrol contibutes to ones overall health.

By Kim Crocker

 J Agric Food Chem. 2002 May 22;50(11):3337-40

Burning Calories and Eating Healthy, Lifestyle Change!

The following MEAL PLAN is recommended for anyone and provides the daily intake of minerals and nutrients that your body needs to stay strong and healthy.  You can absolutely lose weight on this diet!  It’s loaded with fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and fat.  Most do not realize that eating vegetables is a trick to weight-loss, due to the amount of energy your body utilizes to metabolically break them down. 

As with any food that one consumes, read the food label to understand what a serving size is before over loading your plate and understand your meal plan when planning your grocery shopping list. 

Follow the suggested catagory on the left column for fruit, vegetable, meat, or bread.  The right side of the column provides just a few suggested food items.  (LS or Low Sodium is heighly recommended for weightloss.)  Vegetarians may choose meat substitutes, Tofu, beans, nuts or eggs.

Breakfast
Bread or Cereal…. Oatmeal LS, Total Cereal, Cheerios
Fruit…………………..Apple, Orange, Pear, Apricot, Banana, Cherries, Berries
Milk……………………Skim or 1% (8 oz), Low or nonfat Yogurt

Snack am
fruit (1-2 of choice.  1 fruit is 1 serving size), or Blend 2-3 Fruits with 4 oz OJ 

Lunch
Vegetable……………Cole Slaw, Green Salad, Veggie Salad, Pepper sticks, Broccoli
Vegetable……………LS Cream of Potato Soup  (Choice of Soup, Salad, Vegetable)
Meat (3 ounces)………Tuna, Turkey, Herring, Salmon, Beef, Chicken
Vegetable…………..(Any) Twice baked sweet potato, Aparagus saute’ EVOO & Garlic
Fruit……………… …Fruit Salad or Fruit of Choice, (Avocado & Tomato seasoned, EVOO)

Snack pm
1 0z …………………..nuts or seeds (unsalted)
Milk…………………. 1% Skim or 4-6 oz low or nonfat yogurt

Dinner
Meat (3 Ounces)………………. Chicken Patty, Pork, Beef, Fish, Turkey,
Bread……………… (Bread is optional.  Choose whole grain or wheat bread.)
Vegetable………..Lettuce, tomato and onion (cooked or raw)
Vegetable……….. Baked beans
Fruit………………. Kiwi-Strawberry or a  LS, Reduced sugar content Dessert acceptable i.e. Sherbert

Do your research before starting on a Meal Plan and altering your dietary intake.  Remember to consult with your Doctor or Dietitian so that you can make the necessary changes to a healthier lifestyle. Include various types of exercise (walk, bike swim, roller blade, team sports) to promote bone, muscle and metal health. 

For more information on how to enhance Lifestyle Change read: “How to nutritionally and effectively Down Shift to 1350 Calories per day”; “How Tea’s effect weightloss” and Flatten your Tummy for a Poolside Silohouette“.  There are a few respectable weightloss programs such as USANA’s Macro Optimizer, Reset,  which provides nutritional supplements, so that you can achieve your goal weight effectively.  Check out the various types of Meal Plans and if you should (Avoid Sports Drinks?)  It’s a 310 calorie article you don’t want to miss!

By: Kimberly Crocker-Scardicchio

Literature Research

http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/fruit-nutrition-chart.htmlhttp://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=116#stemhttp://www.ifanca.org/newsletter/2002_07.htmhttp://ezinearticles.com/?Calorie-Shifting-Meal-Plan&id=870062http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15930970?ordinalpos=4&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSumhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17412526? ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed

Switching from Sam’s and Costco to USANA

I just had to pass this on.  It’s not an endorsement from Eat Know How, but a personal opinon about USANA products.  Please understand, that you can never replace daily intake of whole foods, but there are Benefits from Nutritional Supplements.
Being the penny pincher and doubting Thomas that I am, and after much investigation, I’m switching from Sam’s and Costco on purchases such as: hair and skin products, vitamins (kids and adults), health bars and drinks.   I recently joined USANA who produces high end quality vitamins, minerals, skin and hair  products, health bars and drinks..   After attending a seminar with their USANA’s Lead Biochemist, Dr. John Cuomo,  I was convinced of their products and that becoming a USANA member would be beneficial both economically and healthwise for my family.
 
The cost is minimal! Compared to Sam’s or Costco quality and quantity of product, USANA is better!  After I added up my yearly cost of: hair and skin products, vitamins, health bars and drinks I concluded that the following benefits made sense to me.
  • Place a one time order of 150 points of merchandise and the membership fee.
  • The total cost is just under $200. (depending on products you order,  prices will vary.) 
  • Renew your membership with USANA  every year for only $20.
  • Family members and friends may purchase directly from you. 
  • Any new members who sign up through you, provides you with a percent back. 
  • Products you personally buy and hand out to others may be TAX DEDUCTIBLE, written off under a personal business claim.
Here’s a link to an article I wrote on the company and their products and a link to their supplements and products, which are many to choose from.
Supplements and Products   Look also under their “search” if item is not found.
 
Lastly, I’ve researched USANA, and they:
  • Have recieived multiple certifications and have quite a few patents in the 16 years they’ve been around. 
  • Are the supplier of the Olympic athletes with their nutritional supplements.
Let me know if you’re interested in becoming a member and I’ll be happy to share more with you.
 
Kim Scardicchio
Author of Eat Know How and www.eatknowhow.usana.com
USANA’s Customer service line for more information.  Refer to my name as the USANA Associate Representative
1-888-950-9595

Heal what Ails you. The benefits of nutritional supplements!

The Need for Nutrition  “As sciences go, nutrition is a young one. To put it’s age in perspective, if the history of the human race were compressed into 24 hours, scientific discoveries began about 12 seconds ago, and nutrition, as an organized science, emerged only during the last three to six seconds.”

“While much has been discovered about nutrition in its short scientific history, the road ahead still holds many discoveries in our journey toward optimal health. Of the many vehicles on that road, USANA is the Mercedes Benz®, leading the way in quality and integrity.”

The following articles provide strong evidence of the need for nutritional supplementation:

Overworked and Undernourished
Your Health is Priceless

At USANA Health Sciences our mission is to develop and provide the highest quality, science-based health products, distributed internationally.”

 

For a period of time I rejected the notion of taking Vitamins.  Personally, I do count my 4 fruits and 5 vegetables intake, trying to make sure that I hit the magic number of 9 amd striving for 11.  One of the main reasons that sickness occurs is for the simple fact that our body is not prepared to head off the attack due to improper nutrition.   Lack of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants not ingested on a daily basis leads to  various types of disease.

 

What Ails an individual is due to several villianous aspects:

  1. 7 out of 10 people do not eat properly. 4 fruits, 5 vegetables, fish, meat, dairy, breads, unsaturated fats: Olive oil, Peanut oil, Canola oil.
  2. What  one inherits from parents and family members, Genetic’s and DNA.
  3. Pollution, Pesticides and Processing of foods all have aspects of depleting nutrition from whole foods.

An individual should never take too much of the fat soluble vitamins K, A, D, E, as they can create detrimental effects within your body damaging both the heart and liver. Stay with a quality manufacturer of vitamins that have multiple controls in place to assure that the product produced does no harm to the consumer.

Having studied the sciences for five years myself, I wanted to to better understand USANA’s approach to reasoning the nutritional supplements in combination with it’s breakdown in the metabolic pathway. I attended a meeting under the direction of Dr. Jouhn Cuomo, a Biochemist at USANA, and was very impressed with his approach to the development of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants produced in his lab, as well as, the MANY controls that were in place to ensure their product.   The seminar left a positive impression on me and I walked away convinced of USANA’s Good Manufacturing Practices and all or their national and international certifications.

It is important to check with your doctor to make sure there are no mal-interactions between any present medications and supplements that you may be taking.  Additionally, one should know that while supplements are not meant to treat, cure or prevent any disease evidence has shown that take in the right amounts they don’t harm the body and help the body to function better.

USANA Vitamins supplement chart

Supplements and Products that you can order on line.

 

Anti-Oxidants

AO Booster

• Boosts antioxidant protection

• Provides half the daily dose of the grape-seed extract found

in Proflavanol® 90

Mega Antioxidant

• Contains ingredients that are essential for good health

• Supplements vitamins that may be missing from diet

• Defends against oxidative stress

E-Prime™

• Provides powerful antioxidant defense

• Supports a healthy immune system

TenX Antioxidant Blast™

• Provides powerful antioxidant protection

• Supports heart health

• Promotes general well-being

 

 

Vitamins and Minerals

Chelated Mineral

• Contains ingredients that are essential for good health

• Delivers important minerals crucial to body

• Helps body effectively process key nutrients from our diet

Body Rox™ for Teen’s

• Provides essential vitamins and minerals for adolescents

• Helps compensate for irregular eating habits

• Supplies a comprehensive blend of antioxidants

BodyRox™ Active Calcium™ Chewable for TEEN’S

• Chewable calcium supplement specially formulated for teens

• Helps maintain healthy bones

• Supports many body functions

• Is important to cellular health

Usanimals™ for Children

• Provides essential nutrients for kids, ages 13 months to

12 years

• Helps support children’s rapid growth

• Supports healthy immune function

 

Vision and Eyes

Visionex®

• Supports eye health

• Defends against environmental stresses

 

Heart and Circulatory System

Proflavanol®

• Helps support a healthy heart and circulatory system

• Supports healthy immune function

• Offers superior antioxidant protection

Proflavanol® 90

• Offers three times the strength of regular Proflavanol in

one tablet

• Helps support a healthy heart and circulatory system

• Supports healthy immune function

• Offers superior antioxidant protection

BiOmega™

• Supports healthy joints

• Supports a healthy brain

• Supports a healthy heart

CoQuinone® 30

• Supports a healthy heart

• Provides strong defense against

oxidative stress

• Supports normal energy production within cells

Ginkgo-PS™

• Aids healthy blood circulation

• Supports mental acuity, memory,

and learning ability

Poly C®

• Supports collagen synthesis for healthy skin, bones,

and muscles

• Provides strong defense against oxidative stress

• Supports healthy immune, cardiovascular, and liver function

TenX Antioxidant Blast™

• Provides powerful antioxidant protection

• Supports heart health

• Promotes general well-being

 

 

Joints

Procosa® II

• Promotes optimal joint health

• Supports maintenance of healthy cartilage

BiOmega™

• Supports healthy joints

• Supports a healthy brain

• Supports a healthy heart

 

 

Liver

Hepasil DTX™

• Supports healthy liver function

• Supplies a unique blend of antioxidants.

Poly C®

• Supports collagen synthesis for healthy skin, bones,

and muscles

• Provides strong defense against oxidative stress

• Supports healthy immune, cardiovascular, and liver function

 

 

Vegetarian Diet

OptOmega®

• Supports cellular health

• Supports a healthy heart

• Organic, vegetarian source of a balanced ratio of EFAs

 

Men’s Health

Palmetto Plus™

• Supports men’s health

• Provides long-term support for prostate health

 

Women’s Health

PhytoEstrin™

• Supports women’s health

during natural aging changes

• Helps maintain bone mass

• Supports a healthy

cardiovascular system

CoQuinone® 30

• Supports a healthy heart

• Provides strong defense against

oxidative stress

• Supports normal energy production within cells

Ginkgo-PS™

• Aids healthy blood circulation

• Supports mental acuity, memory,

and learning ability

 

Bones, Muscles, Immune System, Heart and Liver

Poly C®

• Supports collagen synthesis for healthy skin, bones,

and muscles

• Provides strong defense against oxidative stress

• Supports healthy immune, cardiovascular, and liver function

Active Calcium™

• Helps maintain healthy bones

• Supports many body functions

• Is important to cellular health

TenX Antioxidant Blast™

• Provides powerful antioxidant protection

• Supports heart health

• Promotes general well-being

 

Please check with your doctor about the proper Nutritional Supplement that is right for you.  These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. USANA’s and it’s product’s are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. essentials optimizers

optimizers

Fresh Vegetable Salad

A trick that adds diversity to your salads:  Choose 2-4 vegetables and 1-2 fruits.  Dice them to bite size.  Maybe added to a green leaf salad or served as combined fruits and veggies.

Maybe prepared one day in advance.
Choose 2 or more.  Thinly slice vegetables
Asparagus
Avocado
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Olives
Peppers (red, yellow, orange)
Tomatoes

Fresh champagne mushrooms (white) 
No slicing needed: Peas, Corn, Beans

Fresh Fruit
Choose 1 or 2 fruits. Remove pits or cores then slice and dice.
Apples
Apricots
Cherries
Pear
No slicing: Craisins or Raisins

Add 1/8 c. thinly sliced red onion, Feta or blue cheese, herb of choice (Arugula, Basil, Cilantro, Parsely, 1 ounce of chopped nuts, sprinkled flaxseed. Drizzle with vinaigrette dressing, or olive oil and balsamic vinegar. (salt and pepper to taste)