June 30, 2019 at 10:00AM by CWC Let’s be real: Who isn’t tempted by every kitchen contraption at Sur La Table and Bed Bath & Beyond? Butter cutters and avocado slicers and “chorks” all serve their purpose…right? “It’s so easy to go overboard and want it all!” says Isabel Maples, R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Whether you’re building up your chef’s arsenal to start a healthy cooking habit or just want to perfect your game, you definitely don’t want things falling on your feet every time you open your cupboard. So what tools do you really need to avoid kitchen overload? We talked with eight nutritionists and healthy chefs to get the lowdown on the 13 kitchen essentials they absolutely can’t cook without. 1. Electric tea kettle A watched (tea)pot never boils…so set your electric tea kettle and forget it. Plant-based, whole-foods chef Katie Simmons says she uses her kettle to boil water for stewing quick oats or soaking grains like couscous and bulgur. Or make her quick miso soup by using your kettle to boil a quart of water. Pour into a pot, add 2 tablespoons miso, grated ginger, and a dash of red chili pepper, and bring back to a boil. Let it steep for about 10 to 15 minutes, and enjoy! ad_intervals[‘403093_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘403093_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Buy it: AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Porrtable Electric Hot Water Kettle ($21); Cosori Electric Kettle ($31) 2. Immersion blender Stick
Category: Keto
These 16 Pantry Staples Make The Keto Diet So Much Easier & Tastier
June 30, 2019 at 01:03AM Having these items on hand will make the keto diet much easier. Continue Reading… Author Jennifer Marie Garza | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
You’re probably not getting enough potassium, so make sure these 7 foods are on your grocery list
June 29, 2019 at 10:00AM by CWC If I were to compare the major minerals to members of a late-’90s boy band, magnesium would surely be the Nick Lachey or Ashley Parker Angel of the bunch—you know, the heartthrob who gets all the attention. Calcium strikes me as the mature, serious type, à la Kevin Richardson from Backstreet Boys. And then you’ve got potassium, which I’d liken to Lance Bass. Back in those days he may not have been center stage very often, but N’Sync wouldn’t have been the same without him and his perpetually frosted tips. (No disrespect, Lance—you were always my personal fave.) Similarly, our bodies need foods rich in potassium if we want them to perform like a tight piece of pop choreography. “Potassium is one of the seven essential minerals, also known as electrolytes, and plays a huge role in maintaining healthy fluid balance and kidney function,” says Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, and owner of BZ Nutrition in New York City. “It also controls the signals regulating muscle contractions and a healthy heart rhythm.” ad_intervals[‘402847_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘402847_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Although it’s super important, says Zeitlin, most people aren’t getting enough potassium. She points to data from the National Institutes of Health that shows most adults need around 4,700 mg of the mineral each day, but only about 2 percent of the population is reaching that goal. Complicating matters even more, she adds, is the fact that sweating can
We Tried All The Healthy Pancake Mixes & These Were The Best Ones
June 29, 2019 at 01:08AM With keto, paleo, and vegan options! Continue Reading… Author Liz Moody | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
Here’s how to eat healthy at Denny’s, according to a registered dietitian
June 28, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC You could be stranded in a town you’ve never been to before, starving at 1 a.m. and you can still count on Denny’s to come through. The open 24/7 diner has a special place in many hearts, from up-all-night college students to grandparents partial to an early-bird special. But where do healthy-minded eaters fit in? “Overall, Denny’s does have good healthy options, although you have to be a bit clever if you’re vegan,” says Jenna Gorham, RD. (Phew.) “A lot of their meals are high in sodium, so that something to be aware of,” she adds. To make things easier, Gorham shares the best menu picks if you’re vegan or vegetarian, ketogenic, or on a gluten-free eating plan. Even if you don’t follow a specific diet and simply have the goal to eat healthfully overall, you can still apply her tips to your life. Denny’s vegetarian and vegan options: Menu picks: Fit Fare veggie sizzlin’ skillet; Fit Fare loaded veggie omelette ad_intervals[‘400900_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘400900_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); What an RD says: Denny’s doesn’t have any meals on the menu that are entirely vegan, but Gorham figured out a smart workaround. “You can order the sizzlin’ skillet or veggie omelette and just ask for no eggs,” she says. That way, you’re still getting lots of nutrient-dense veggies. For vegetarians who eat eggs, her picks are the same, with the eggs, which gives good protein. Order tweaks: Vegans
Being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community is so much more than wearing rainbows in June
June 26, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC Hold onto your hats, I’m coming in hot with a public service announcement: My queerness doesn’t take a snooze July through May. Despite what Pride marketing might have you believe, I’m queer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year; queer folks exist (and thrive! and are worth celebrating!) 12 months a year. To that point, being an ally is *not* strolling through Ikea with a rainbow tote (*eye roll*), noshing on rainbow Doritos, and goggling at the rainbow-clad mannequins as you window-shop. Rather, allyship is a verb, a process, continuous action. It’s lifelong work. “An ally is someone who is not from that group who does work for and supports that group. You’re doing the work to educate yourself, be involved in projects by and for, do things for, show-up for that group, and fight for their rights” says bicon (that is, bisexual icon), Gaby Dunn, co-host of the Just Between Us. “It’s using your privilege to show up for folks who have less privilege.” ad_intervals[‘399704_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘399704_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); To that point, consider the below is your Ultimate Ally™ starter sheet for thoughtful, intentional support of the LGBTQ+ community all year long. This list is by no means exhaustive, but these 6 tips for allies are a good point A. Follow queer people on social media Simply put: “Exposure matters,” says LGBTQ+ expert and mental-health professional Kryss Shane, MS. I
I tried a brain-boosting twist on the Mediterranean diet for better concentration—here’s what happened
June 24, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC I like to think I have all my healthy ducks in a row—working out, eating well, meditating—but what I’ve always struggled with is my sleep. (Which makes me fit in with the 92 percent of Well+Good readers.) As much as I want to be one of those people who falls asleep immediately and wakes up refreshed, that just isn’t me—and believe me, I’ve tried everything. As a result, I often find myself losing my concentration in the middle of the day, and having several cups of coffee or matcha makes me too jittery to focus. So, when I learned about the MIND Diet, a specific eating plan designed to help improve and promote cognitive function, I thought it might be the perfect remedy for my sluggishness…especially on days I knew I had multiple things on my plate. Also, let’s be honest: A plan that focuses on my brain and not calories or a number on the scale is definitely something I can get behind. So here’s what happened when I tried the MIND diet for two weeks. ad_intervals[‘403105_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘403105_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); First, what exactly is the MIND Diet? Developed by nutrition researcher Martha Clare Morris, PhD, and her colleagues at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, MIND stands for “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay,” and was specifically designed to improve brain health. It’s basically what would happen if the Mediterranean diet and the DASH
8 low-sugar fruits that won’t leave you with a sugar high
June 24, 2019 at 09:15AM by CWC Every season, Mother Nature hooks us up with a new assortment of fresh fruits to add to our grocery carts and Amazon Fresh orders. Fruit, of course, is a healthy snack—and the US Department of Agriculture recommends eating between one to two cups per day, depending on your age. Yet some of the most popular fruits—like bananas (about 18 grams of sugar per cup) and grapes (20 grams per serving)—pack a lot of sugar. Ditto tropics-born favorites like mango (23 grams per cup) and pineapple (16 grams per cup). Which can be an issue if you’re on the keto diet or are otherwise looking to watch your blood sugar levels. Before you freak out about the sugar in fruit, Katrin Lee, MS, RD, founder of Simply Nutrition NYC, recommends looking at the rest of the nutrition facts to get a better idea of how your body will respond. “Any fruits that have other major nutrients, like protein, fiber, or good fats will cause your blood sugar to spike slower because you’re also working to digest the other nutrients,” Lee explains. While your body reacts to sugar the same, whether it comes from a packet or a pineapple, eating the nutrient-dense food is always the better option. ad_intervals[‘19823_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘19823_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Plus, “most fruit is actually considered low on the glycemic index, meaning it doesn’t raise your blood sugar as much as other carbohydrates,” adds
TV dinners have finally gotten the healthy upgrade they deserve
June 24, 2019 at 06:49AM by CWC Let’s face it: TV dinners don’t exactly conjure up the image of a healthy meal. For decades, the sectionalized paper trays of processed meat, frozen veggies (both likely covered in a thick, mystery sauce) and, if you’re lucky, a bite-sized brownie went largely unchanged. Ones that were considered “healthy” typically were so low in calories that you’d be hungry again soon after eating them. While the rest of the frozen food section got a healthy makeover in recent years—cauliflower pizza! broccoli rice!—the microwaveable dinner category went largely unchanged. The stigma, it seemed, was too great for healthy-minded eaters to overcome. That is, until a new graduating class of heat-and-eat entrees made their way onto the market and into consumer’s fridges and freezers. But why renovate the heat-and-eat dinner category in the first place? Mike Wystrach, the CEO of Freshly, a healthy frozen meal delivery service, says that people need quick, healthy options now more than ever. He says Freshly was founded to solve a problem he himself was having: “I wanted to eat better, knew how to do it, but didn’t have the time or desire to cook,” Wystrach explains. TV dinners were a natural solution—but required a big health overhaul. ad_intervals[‘402537_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘402537_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Same technology, better food The 2.0 TV dinners look more like something you’d get from a trendy fast casual restaurant than something you’d find in a freezer case, yet
A relationship expert reveals the 6 big questions to ask your partner before getting married
June 22, 2019 at 10:00AM by CWC Wedding planning is inevitably stressful, “chill bride” vibes be damned. Obsessively checking your weather app, double-checking with the caterer that your vegan/keto/Whole30 friends all have at least something to eat at the reception, remembering cute flats for when you can’t bear your heels anymore…there are a lot of potential anxiety triggers. But hopefully, wondering if the person at the other end of the aisle is truly right for you isn’t one of them. Whether you’re in the beginning stages of dating or are in a relationship with someone you believe (or at least, hope!) you will end up marrying, licensed clinical psychologist, author, and eHarmony dating expert Seth Meyers, Ph.D, says there are some important questions you should get to the bottom of before the big day. Some of the questions you can ask in the early dating stages while others are best asked when marriage is more closely in sight. Here, Dr. Meyers explains what and when to ask six important questions before marrying someone. Keep reading for his intel. ad_intervals[‘402143_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘402143_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); What are the most important questions before marriage people should ask? Keep reading for intel. 1. How do you like to spend your free time? The whole “what do you do for fun” question is one that comes up in those very early dates, but Dr. Meyers says it holds important clues for long-term compatibility. “If someone says that