Hi everyone!!  Just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving and give you a couple eating tips to help ease us a bit with all the grub going into our bodies this week.

First of all; enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!  That's what the holidays are all about.  Friends, family, food, repeat!

The first tip starts today, right now.  You want to drink as much water as you can. Not all at once; but grab a tall bottle of water and start drinking.  Sip throughout the day and night and try to drink 100 ounces minimum of water, ok?  Also, really watch your salt intake today.  Keep your diet as simple and routine as possible.

Now for the big day, start slow and pace yourself.  Easier said then done, I know, but give it a shot.  A little conscience effort can go a long way and really help avoid the hangover from the day.  Now, hangover can be from food as well as booze.  With the booze, try to stick to this simple formula.  For every cocktail or wine, try to match drink for drink with 8 ounces of water.  Simple as that, but easier said then done for most people.

When the big meal comes, the key again is pace.  Chew your food, savor it; but remember to enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!  It's funny.  I am talking to myself really!  I feel like the worlds biggest hypocrite @ the moment, but I am really going to try this year!

Take breaks while eating.  Talk and tell stories; step back for a second and take it all in.  Everything surrounding the food is worth a notice.  Connect with family, take that time.  Making the event stretch out will make for efficient digestion, and the extra fluids through out the day helps tremendously.

The next day, if possible, try to avoid the leftovers.  I know this is a tough one, but do your best!  What will be, will be.  But if you can, avoid the leftovers and avoid protein; eating mostly vegetables throughout the day to help cleanse away the day before.

Another great bonus and catalyst for proper digestion is go for family outings.  Maybe an after dinner stroll altogether. Expand the family meal to a family activity.  Hey, even your uncle or distant cousin that slept over might be up for a morning jog to help kick in the digestion and calorie burning!  You get the point ,  just put it out there!  You never know how a little shakeup can create a new.

So, to recap.

Day before:
Extra hydration the day before and keep your food intake simple, avoiding salt.
On the day:
Pace yourself, savor the moments, take breaks while eating and match all spirit and wine drinks one for one with an 8 ounce glass of water.
Day after:
High fiber eating via green veggies and colorful salads to help push the rich foods and proteins through your system.  Avoid protein intake if possible and no leftovers.
Bonus:
Try to be active with family; hikes or exercise challenges with that uncle or cousin you haven’t seen all year.

I hope these simple tips help.  I really want to be practical without taking away from the fun and tradition of a great turkey day.  Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!  All the Best in Health to everyone and their families this Thanksgiving. 

Gobble Gobble!!

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Holidays , Nutrition
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Serving size:   Be aware that little candy bar that doesn’t seem to have many calories might be two servings, or even three.

Calories:  This is key.  Look at calories first.

Fat:  Pay close attention to fat!  Here are reasonable levels per serving:
- Saturated fat:  0 to 0.5g. Look out for saturated fats!  They’re terrible.
- Trans fat:  Absolutely 0g.  Avoid it completely.
- Polyunsaturated fat: Up to 5 grams is acceptable.
- Monusaturated fat: Up to 5 grams is acceptable.

Cholesterol:  Up to 20 grams is acceptable.

Sodium:  If it’s more than 200 mg., avoid it.

Dietary fiber:  The more, the better.

Expiration date: This is important.  Eating fresh food really makes a difference.

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Nutrition
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How many of us know a friend that takes handfuls of pills on a daily basis?  Talk about overkill!  I am sure that many of these supplements probably cancel each other out in the body and you wind up peeing them out of your system along with your money.  I want to do a post today on keeping it simple, as it pertains to vitamins and supplements.

I am a big believer in supplements; believe me I have a whole line I have created!  But there seems to be a pill for everything these days in our ever growing wellness world.  I am not even touching on prescription medicine, that is an entirely different blog!  There are metabolizers, libido enhancers, carbohydrate inhibitors…it goes on and on!  I am here to say keep it simple!

Here is what we all need.  Good, wholesome, nutritious food and plenty of water.  Really, that should be the recipe for life.  But with today’s world of fast pace and stress, we need supplements to help keep us from getting depleted.  This is why I believe in the basics.

People always ask, "Greg, what are the fundamental supplements I should add in my life?”  This is a big question.  I developed the six essentials to do just that.  Six basic supplements that work together and support each other in your body.

Check them out:
1.  Omega 3:  The vitamin of the fat world for healthy skin, eyes, and heart.
2.  Immune elixir:  Pill a day keeps the doctor and hay fever away.
3.  Fat Burning Lemonade:  The revolution that converts fat to energy.
4.  Calcium:  It's all about healthy bones!
5.  Multi vitamin:  Super energy food.
6.  Protein Powder:  The building blocks of our bodies.

There you go.  These are the basics, and plenty.  Believe me!  But you see, even my line, as basic as it is, is a lot of stuff.  Now, I do have one product in my six essentials which I call Fat Burning Lemonade.  Even this so called sport supplement is pure product, no fillers, nothing.  Just L-carnitine to burn fat and D-ribose for energy and recovery.  Together, they are a great one-two punch that actually works!

Anyway, the point here is not to push my products too hard.  You know how to find them.  But just try to be aware of what products truly serve you.  And remember, you can make up these so called vital nutrients we lack in our busy lives through a well balanced diet.  Supplements are needed in today’s world and they serve a purpose indeed.  But please don't get carried away and think a handful of pills can replace a well balanced diet.  Be smart, be informed, and be conservative with such a growing commerce of supplemental wellness.  When in doubt, take the minimum and let nature do the rest.

All the Best in Health!

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Nutrition , Supplements
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SCORING: None of these questions, as you probably figured out, should be answered with a “yes.” 
They are all indicative of a certain degree of addiction. 
Even so, you probably did answer “yes” to at least one question, because most people have some degree of an addiction to sugar.  The question is, what degree?

The Degree of Your Addiction

If you answered “Yes” to this many questions, your Degree of Addiction is:

• Zero: None – you’re amazing.  You’re far less addicted to sweets than most people are.
• 1-5: Aficionado.  Be careful – sweets have their own agenda.  Right now, they’re not a big problem – but they can become one.
• 6-10: Last Stop in Normal-Land.  You do not have a healthy relationship with sweets, but you’re not yet an addict.  Try to take control now.
• 11-15: Unhealthy.  Check yourself into Sugar Rehab.  You’re well on your way to diabetes or obesity.  Sugar is a drug for you.

SOLUTIONS

1. BE Honest with your self and try to focus all your willpower on overcoming this problem of sugar .
2. Avoid sweets as much as you possibly can.  They feed the fire of your addiction.  Substitute other foods for sweets, even if these foods have more calories.  The fewer sweets you eat, the less you will be physically addicted.
3. Learn to find hidden sugar.  Find  all the various words on labels that mean “sugar" like  Corn Starch  or Dextrose.
4. Eat protein  and good fats . " EFA'S ".  This will help your sugar cravings to begin to subside.
5. Be careful about alcohol.  It’s a form of sugar.  It aggravates sugar addiction.
6. Limit starch as much as you reasonably can, because starch converts into sugar almost instantly, and increases sugar cravings.  When you eat starchy foods, go for the low-starch, high-fiber ones.  For example, eat vegetables instead of bread, or fruit instead of pudding..
7. Eat Cinnamon, a spice that helps stabilize blood sugar levels.  As your blood sugar stabilizes, your cravings will decrease.
8. Limit caffeine, because it causes blood sugar levels to fluctuate excessively.
9. Take other supplements that also help reduce sugar cravings (by leveling blood sugar swings).  These supplements include vitamin E, niacin, magnesium, B-6, and zinc.
10. Exercise, to improve the sensitivity of your cells to insulin.  This will decrease hunger and cravings.
11. Talk to other people about your sugar cravings in a serious way – not like, “Ha-ha, isn’t it cute that I’m addicted to chocolate?”  More people die from food addiction than drug addiction.
12. Don’t expect the problem to go away quickly, or easily.  You have to make it a life style choice.

All the best in health ,

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Nutrition , Quizzes
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The worst kind of sugar, in my opinion, is high fructose corn syrup, which is now the most common sugar added to processed foods.

Over the past 30 years, the amount of corn syrup consumed in America has risen from one-half pound per person annually, to 62 pounds per person.  Almost all of this is corn syrup that’s been added to processed foods.  This increase accounts for almost 250 extra calories per person each day, which is enough to add approximately one pound of body fat every 12 days. OUCH !!!!!!

One of the worst things about corn syrup is that it isn’t as effective as regular sugar at shutting off the brain’s appetite control mechanisms, due to its largely artificial composition.  

The brain doesn’t fully recognize corn syrup as sugar, so people who eat it keep feeling hungry, even after they’ve consumed it.

One of the most common current sources of this corn syrup is soda pop, which people are drinking far too much of these days.  Over the past 30 years, annual soda consumption has increased from about 25 gallons per person to approximately 50 gallons.  One reason people are probably drinking more is because modern soda isn’t as effective at triggering satiety as the old-fashioned, real-sugar soda was.

Bottom line:  Don’t Drink Soda Pop.

It’s garbage.  It’s empty calories that don’t even satisfy you.

All the best in Health !

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Nutrition
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I have to say, I am guilty of my limited and narrow minded nut use.  When a client asks for a good nut, I always suggest almonds.  Well, here are some other great nut alternatives for you.  

1.  Walnuts:
In a one ounce serving size, walnuts pack 2 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of omega three, and 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat.  Remember, omega three is an anti-depressive and a great fat burner!
2. Brazil Nuts:
One ounce yields also 2 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein; but 7 grams of monounsaturated fat.  Brazil Nuts also contain selenium; so much that no food packs more.  Selenium helps in preventing prostate and colon cancer among other benefits.
3.  Pistachios:
One ounce of these nuts provides 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein; wow!  Monounsaturated fat is @ 7 grams and this nut actually helps lower your cholesterol.
4.  Pecans:
One once of these incredible tasting nuts provides 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, and 12 grams of monounsaturated fat.  Pecans pack the most anti-oxidants than any nut on the planet.
5.  Hazelnuts:
One ounce of these nuts provides 3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and 13 grams of monounsaturated fat.  Hazelnuts are one of my most favorite nuts.  They help lower cholesterol as well.  The problem with me is I like them in, especially in chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!

So, the next time you get stuck in a nut rut expand your horizons a bit and venture out to some of the other possibilities in this crazy world of nuts!

Have a great weekend!  All the Best in Health!

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Nutrition
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I am always asked "what is the latest greatest in terms of nutrional but yummie foods". Greg what is the skinnny?

Here is what I consider the top trendsetter this summer from the world of Hip to be Healthy. Cocoa, "The Healthy Chocolate".
Yep, Chocolate!

1. Coca, Cacao, also known as “cacao pod”, is the fruit of the cacao tree, a small tree growing in South America and the West Indies which grows 12 to 25 feet high (less than 25 feet if being cultivated). In 1753 it was named Theobroma meaning “food of the gods” by Carl von Linnaeus, the 18th-century Swedish scientist who developed the plant and animal Latin categorization system.

Raw Cacao Nutritional Facts: 
Pay attention to the fiber and sugar content - they are the secret of why it's so healthy.

Serving Size: 1 ounce (= ¼ cup or 28g)
Calories 160, Fat 11g (of which Saturated Fat 4g), Sodium 30 mg, Carbohydrate 14g, Fibre 9g, Sugars 3g, Protein 1g, Vitamin C 42mg Cacao is remarkably rich in magnesium and seems to be the number one source of magnesium of any food. This may very well explain why women crave chocolate before or during their menstrual period. Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, and is associated with creating more happiness. Magnesium is the most deficient major mineral on the Standard American Diet (SAD) - over 80% of Americans are chronically deficient in magnesium.

Stimulant or Superfood? Cacao contains subtle amounts of caffeine and theobromine. However, experiments have shown that these stimulants are far different when consumed raw than cooked. Phenylethylamine (PEA)
Phenylethylamine (PEA) is found in chocolate. PEA is an adrenal-related chemical that is also created within the brain and released when we are in love. This is one of the reasons why love and chocolate have a deep correlation. PEA also plays a role in increasing focus and alertness. Anandamide (“The Bliss Chemical”)
A neurotransmitter called anandamide, has been isolated in cacao. Anandamide is also produced naturally in the brain. Anandamide is known as "The Bliss Chemical" because it is released while we are feeling good. Cacao contains enzyme inhibitors that decrease our body’s ability to breakdown anandamide. This means that natural anandamide and/or cacao anandamide may stick around longer, making us feel good longer when we eat cacao. Cocoa is also a heavy antoxidant amd contains flavonoids which they say help protect us from cardiovascular disease.

It even contains the ingredient MAO which helps suppress our appetite.

Now I am not suggesting cocoa be the end all here of course. But how cool that an adult tasting big bang bang for your buck in the chocolate world has a little goodness going on as well . At my wellness bar Real Raw Live . We combine cocoa and agave and make a chocolate syrup. Combined with fresh almond or oat milk, it makes for a killer chocolate mylk . We even combine it with Maca Root from peru and have a super shot called " macacoa" It makes you melt into a state of bliss. Cocoa also comes in granule form called "nibs" . They are great as a topping or to throw into a shake to give it a chocolate snap of flavor and texture.

Cocoa, who knew? Now, you do!

Give it a try and tell me what you think.

All the best in health

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Nutrition
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