5 Places to Sneak Hemp Into Your Diet

November 18th, 2013

Hemp_DidYouDiet

Did You Diet?

Hemp is on my list of top superfoods. Hemp is high in protein and healthy fats, and is very low in cholesterol and sodium. It is also a good source of zinc, and a very good source of magnesium. Hemp contains all the essential amino acids and essential fatty acids necessary to maintain healthy human life. No other single plant source has the essential amino acids in such an easily digestible form, nor has the essential fatty acids in as perfect a ratio to meet human nutritional needs. Available in concentrated protein, shelled seeds, or oil, there are unlimited ways to include hemp in your everyday diet. I consume it just about every day in one form or another. Here are my top 5 ways to eat hemp:

1. Salad

Adding raw organic hemp seeds to any salad gives it a nutritional as well as flavor boost. Try my favorite Creamy Kale Salad Recipe. Also consider switching your salad oil to hemp oil instead of whatever you’re using now.

2. Smoothies

Hemp is a prime plant based protein alternative to whey, which can acidify the body and create extra strain on your kidneys. You can use concentrated hemp protein or for a creamier smoothie use the shelled hemp seeds. Here’s my favorite smoothie recipe.

3. Breakfast

Many people start their day with a bowl of heart healthy oatmeal. Sprinkle in a couple tablespoons of hemp seeds to up the nutritional value even more, and add a subtle nutty taste. You can also sprinkle hemp seeds in yogurt or any other breakfast cereal.

4. Dairy Substitute/Ice Cream/Milk

Did you know you can easily make your own raw hemp milk at home? Skip the cartons that have the questionable added carrageenan, and make your own by blending 2-3 tablespoons of raw organic hemp seeds with 4-8 ounces of water. The water to seeds ratio is for you to decide, based on if you prefer a thinner milk, or thicker cream (to replace that unhealthy half and half). Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and a few drops of liquid stevia and vanilla to bring the taste closer to a store bought brand. Make sure to blend the mixture on high for 45 seconds to a minute, preferably with a high speed blender, to fully blend the seeds for a smooth finish. If it’s still too lumpy for you, strain it through cheese cloth or a nut milk bag.You can try adding flax seeds (1/2-1 tablespoon) and even some soaked brown rice. A good rule of thumb to make a quart of milk is 1 cup hemp seeds to 4 parts water. Experiment and see what mixture and consistency you personally like. Store in a mason jar and make fresh every few days and shake it up before pouring. If you’re lucky enough to live in the vicinity of Omega Creamery’s limited distribution area like I am, you can enjoy not only their hemp milk but also their low glycemic vegan superfood ice cream!

5. Pesto

That’s right! You can make a superfood vegan pesto with hemp seeds! Here’s the recipe. I add this to gluten free pasta, use it as a pizza base instead of tomato sauce, or spread it on flax crackers.

Adding more hemp to your diet will not only improve your health, but can help create more demand for this sustainable crop which requires no fertilizers or pesticides, and help the call for (re)legalization. The hemp plant (Cannabis sativa) is one of the earliest known cultivated crops, and it has many uses including textiles, fiber, wood, plastic and fuel alternatives. And no, it won’t get you high or make you test positive for drugs, but it will make you and our precious planet a whole lot healthier. From care2.

Tags: Did You Diet, didyoudiet, Diets, Hemp, Nutrition
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New weight-loss book emphasizes ‘shift’ in mindset

October 14th, 2013

Tory-Johnson_DidYouDiet

Did You Diet?

Tory Johnson enjoyed a highly successful career and happy family life. But there was one area of her life that caused anxiety, frustration, even shame. It was also the one thing that made Johnson, a motivational speaker and contributor to ABC’s “Good Morning America,” feel like a complete failure: her weight.

When a network executive told her, “I don’t think your clothing does you any favors,” Johnson heard something else: “Lose weight, or lose your job.”

Something clicked. Battling a lifetime of obesity, the 41-year-old who rotated through fad diets decided to finally lose the weight once and for all. It wasn’t so much about the diet, but what she put in her head (steely determination) that made the difference.

Losing weight isn’t about being good; it’s about being good to myself. Most diets work but it’s the mentality (lose the weight easily and quickly!) that fails us time and time again.

She calls her new mentality “the Shift.” And it worked. Johnson, who was obese but doesn’t reveal the number on the scale, lost 62 pounds in one year. She’s since lost 10 more.

It’s also the name of her book,“The Shift: How I Finally Lost Weight and Discovered a Happier Life” (Hyperion, $22.99). Released only a few weeks ago, the book is already on The New York Times Best Sellers List, and women across the country are joining shift clubs (www.shiftwithtory.com/clubs).

Q: This is not a typical diet book. And you talk about what you put in your head matters more than what you put in your mouth. Will you talk more about that?

A: Initially, when I thought about writing the book, I was asked: “What’s the gimmick?” Every diet book has a gimmick. I said there is no gimmick. This is not a diet book, it’s not a temporary pause on bad behavior. This is very much a lifestyle change. When I looked back at how I did it, I realized I made a mental shift and truly committed myself to changing my mindset for a better life.

For the first time in my life (and I am a smart woman), I realized there is no pill or potion or plan that offers a quick fix.

To help me stay on track, one, was the clarity of my goal. It was the first time ever I was so fed up with being fat and so clearly determined to change that, I felt like nothing was going to get in my way. I was going to steamroll my way through this no matter what. The other one of the elements was having accountability. For me, that was weighing myself every day.

Q: You talk about a simple, three-rule plan – and that you keep it with you in your purse. Please talk about the plan and do you still keep it?

A: I still have the card with three points, but it’s a little different than it was in the book.

It is now: 1. Eat a whole lot less. 2. Choose smarter. 3. Move more.

In the book, I talk about restricting carbs. I am not a doctor or a nutritionist. I am an ordinary person and this is what worked for me. But really, it’s about choosing smarter foods. I stopped drinking soda, not even diet soda. I look at the nutritional labels before I eat something. I really want to be able to pronounce the ingredients.

The third one – move more – was pretty easy because I was not moving at all. … I hated exercise, but instead of having to start exercising 30 minutes a day, I started with five minutes a day. If someone says ‘exercise for 45 minutes,’ you can say you are busy. But it’s really hard to argue you don’t have five minutes. And then it was well, if I can do five minutes, I can do 10.

Weight-loss tips

Tory Johnson’s book “The Shift: How I Finally Lost Weight and Discovered a Happier Life” is clicking with women across the nation. Here’s some advice from Johnson and her book:

• Weigh yourself daily. If I’m up, I’m more determined. If I’m down, I’m more motivated.

• Pause before giving in to temptation. Ask yourself, “Preference or priority?” Sure I’d prefer a cupcake, but my preference is to lose weight. By pausing for a few seconds to reflect on that choice, I usually make the right decision.

• Read nutritional labels or check an app.

• If tempted to binge, grab nail polish. Yup, applying clear top coat has saved me from countless calories. You can’t stick wet nails into a bag of chips.

• Keep safe snacks on hand. Sour pickles. Smoked salmon and cream cheese pinwheels. Celery and a tablespoon of peanut butter.

• Put old photos on display. Some people are motivated by looking at supermodels in bikinis. For me, there’s nothing like dozens of pictures of my (former) triple chin to stay the course.

• No “cheat” days. Rewarding a week of healthy eating with cake and cookies is akin to an alcoholic celebrating a month of sobriety with a few beers. It doesn’t work. But if you slip, get back on track instantly. Day One can always be right now.

Are you ready to make the“Shift”?

1. How fed up are you, really?

When the pain and possible penalty of being fat outweighed the likely pain of changing, I knew I was ready to “Shift.”

2. What are you willing to give up?

For the “Shift” to work, nothing can be more important than tackling your goal. It’s an all-or-nothing deal, hard as it sounds. And it is hard, but it becomes easier with time. I gave up various foods, I finally started to exercise and I made lifestyle changes.

3. What’s your plan?

There’s no winging it when it comes to making any significant life change. Spell out clear, concise rules to eliminate any ambiguity. For me, cutting carbs was a big one. No cheat days was another.

4. What’s your daily accountability?

It’s easy to slip when no one is looking. Daily weigh-ins and a Nike Fuel Band to monitor my movement still keep me on track. Photos help, too.

5. How will you embrace patience and celebrate victories?

My rewards are inedible – lighting a candle, an iTunes song, smaller-size clothing. From kansas.

Did You Diet?

Tags: Did You Diet, didyoudiet, Obesity, The Shift, Tory Johnson, weight loss
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Kimberly Snyder Shares Healthy Smoothies For Weight Loss, Anti-Aging Benefits and More

October 11th, 2013

Kimberly-Snyder_DidYouDiet

Did You Diet?

With the holiday season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to keep your calorie intake in check to ensure you don’t overdo it in the coming months.

We tapped celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder (she works with Drew Barrymore, Fergie and Channing Tatum, just to name a few), to share some healthy and fulfilling beverages that help curb the appetite, but also work wonders on the body, too.

As the author of The Beauty Detox Foods: Discover the Top 50 Beauty Foods That Will Transform Your Body and Reveal a More Beautiful You, as well as the owner of her very own juice bar in Los Angeles, Glow Bio, Snyder is an expert at finding the most beneficial nutrients to fuel the body.

Check out these delicious smoothie recipes she recommends:

Kimberly-Snyder_DidYouDiet

GLOWING GREEN SMOOTHIE
1 1/2 cups water
1 head organic romaine lettuce, chopped (about 6 cups)
2 stalks organic celery (about 1 1/2 cups)
7 cups of chopped spinach
1 organic apple or pear, cored and chopped
1 organic banana
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

Add the water and chopped head of romaine to the blender for this weight-loss smoothie. Starting the blender at low speed, mix until smooth. Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery and pear. Add the banana and lemon juice last.

CHIA SEED SHAKE
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered or liquid stevia to sweeten

Stir chia seeds into almond milk in a glass and let sit 15 minutes, to allow the chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid and begin to create a “gel.” Stir in the rest of the ingredients, making sweet to suit your taste—this shake helps give you lustrous hair and strong nails.

RAINFOREST ACAI SMOOTHIE
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 packet frozen acai
1/2 tablespoons raw cacao (optional)
Stevia to taste
1/2 banana (optional to make thicker and more filling)

Using a good blender, blend the acai and almond milk at low speed until you’ve broken down the acai, then move to a higher speed. Once it is smooth, use the stevia. Add the 1/2 of a banana to make a denser snack or dessert, this smoothie helps battle dry winter skin.

DETOX TEA
1 inch of ginger, peeled and sliced
Filtered or spring water
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Cayenne pepper
Powdered or liquid stevia

Steep the ginger in a small pot with about a cups and a half of water for a few moments. Pour into a mug. Allow to cool for a few moments, then add the lemon, cayenne pepper and stevia, making as sweet as desired. This yummy tea helps keep wrinkles at bay. From eonline.