jesslcover

[jesslcover]

H.E.A.L.T.H. What is it?

For many years, ive been trying to get all these beautiful inspiring stories out of my head and out into the public. I believe that I have a message and maybe my delivery is off but its there....  There is no right or wrong way to deliver a message because it truly comes down to the perception of the receiver, not you that creates the problem. If you have a message to share with the world.. share it, and if the world isn't ready, thats there issue, not yours. So here’s mine.... well a small piece of it... 

Have you ever thought about what the true definition of health is? Is the worlds definition of health congruent with your own definition? How did you come to your own way of health or do you follow others and envision yourself as them maybe when you were completely out of balance with yourself. Or did you do research on ways to quick fix your health Hit?  

There are so many ways we can view health and in each one of us, its different. Take a smoker of 30 years.....    If you or someone you know has smoked for a very long time and are thinking about quitting, you know its gonna be stressful. Even if you are 100% committed to giving up the filthy habit and saying good rides, the body and mind are going to, at some point be in stress overload. The nasty chemical of nicotine has adapted inside your body and your cells feed off of them but then ll of a sudden, you are suffocating the fuel for which stimulated the craving when they were on empty... So your brain thinks, “feed me nicotine, feed me oral fixation.” 

No patch, gum or physical ailment has ever been the true reason some someone killing the habit. The real healing and transformation comes from the energetic balance between what our mind is telling our body, and what forces surround us in our environment the controls our cravings within our body. 

For 12 years, I smoked very heavy cigarettes. Not the Light to Ultra light brands but the stuff the big boys, construction workers, mechanics, Beer Bellied red necks, used to smoke. My mom allowed me to smoke as many cigarettes as I wanted, just as long as I only smoked cigarettes and nothing else. 

In June 1999, after a car accident nearly caused my death, I was awaked into a new light and mindset. Still smoking cigarettes, going to church and attending local exercise classes, my perception to things was different.  

After 4.3 drooling months of battling a disconnect of me headspace and my Mind Body Spirit connection being in OFF mode, I was turn on with more voltage and internal power than ever before. 

In October 1999, 2.5 weeks after I was forced to drop out of high school, I was blown away that something so big, and active was living inside of my head. I asked myself, how could this tumor, be so unkind to just appear out of the blue and say, “That’s it Lady, POWER OFF.” 

I was a senior in High School, passionate about hospitality, working for Marriott hotels 23-28 hours a week in front office operations and selling shoes at Nine West 13-17 hours/week M-F. Marriot was a Fri-Sat-Sunday job with Holidays for  the additional overtime. After my accident, I lost my job at the shoe store however Marriott loved my positive energy and life force I expelled to guests while they checked in, even when I couldn't see over the front Desk front sitting in a chair from Pain. Although I felt much loved at this hotel, I would soon be discharged from here as well. 

October 24th, 1999, after my first attempt to get my GED, the equivalent to a High School Diploma, I failed. I felt horrible with my life. I had no job because of my disability, I quit high school and barely saw my friends, no driver license because they were taking from me by the State of Ohio for safety of other drivers and I was smoking 2-3 packs of cigarettes a day. How was I able to come out of this mess and go from SURVIVING to THRIVING?                           It certainly wasnt some Miracle pill or Reconstructive Surgery that changed me from the outside to inspire my inside......  It came from within me! How I looked at the physical things around me, how I gave thanks to everything, even a bird dropping its poo poo on my head while trying to sunbathe next to my neighbors pool, or having a check for $3.84 bounce over a pack of cigarettes. What taught me the greatest life comeback in these scenarios.

It was a wet and muggy Wednesday morning in October, the 27th to be exact, when my mom dreaded waking at 745am to take me to get a second opinion from a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic office near my small hometown. She had finished work at 1130pm the previous night to only arrive home around 1215am from the heavy rain that evening. My first appointment was at 830am. 

There were actually several appointments scheduled that day however my mom had to be at work by 1pm and wasnt able to take me to all of my appointments. After the first appointment, we decided to skip the potential MRI and take me to grandma’s house. 

For the next 9 months, until June, the summer of 2000, I stayed with grandma. It was a much happier place to be. Grandma had 3 fun loving dogs, a pool with a beautiful wooden deck big enough for 5-7 lawn chairs, and my aunt Kathy living within walking distance. Kathy smoked and she was more like a smoking buddy. I was able to make some money mowing yards for the neighbors and helping grandma with the house and her dogs. In June, I got my driver license back and went on a mission to find a job that would give me independence away from everyone! It was the greatest stepping stone into womanhood I could've ever taken. 

After attempting to retrieve my job with Marriott and being unsuccessful, an amusement park on the lake outside of cleveland contacted me for a summer job at one of their hotels in the park. Cedar Point is the PRIME ROLLERCOASTER park in the USA. Without hesitation, I took the job and moved 2.5 hours away in a cabin villa with 2 other girls, for the summer. 

Cutting to the chase... at the end of the summer, I felt like i was ready to go back to school and try my HSD again. It didnt take long to see that, this wasnt supposed to be the option for me. 

August 2000, just days before school was to begin, mom and I, her friend Cheryl and our long time neighbor were shopping for school supplies at our local Staples Store. Cheryl had MS and I took care of her also. Without her with us, my mom would've been in the Emergency room. 

As we were walking out of the store, I started to dauntingly walk a different direction than my mom and Cheryl. Completely disconnect from the world, my mom said she continued to yell at me but I didn't listen. Was I not listening or did I not hear her? 

In the moment when my mom gently grabbed my right shoulder to bring me toward our truck, I physically attacked her, bruised her face and she fell on the ground. Immediately she got back up and “started calling me names”, Cheryl said. Before we got to the truck, I came out of this brain freeze and began to ask my mom “Oh My God, what happened to you?” 

You can imagine my mom’s confusion, frustration and contemplation as to why I seemed to disillusioned to the event. This object in my brain was moving again and this time caused a disconnect that changed my life traumatically, with myself and my mother. 

A week before my Mom’s birthday, September 4, school had only jut begun and I was doing good until the long 3 days weekend for Labor Day. Labor day is the 1st Monday in September and my mom’s birthday happened to fall on that day however our doctors office was closed. 

The very next day, with a luck of the draw, Dr Angerman, who I saw the previous years, had a slot open at 9am which my mom booked me without question. The findings were what had been daunting me for more than 15 months. 

Ganglioglioma is low-grade tumor of mixed cell type. It is a type of brain tumor that contains properties of both glial cells (responsible for providing the structural support of the central nervous system) and neuronal cells (the functioning component of the central nervous system). It is very rare!! Being rare was one thing but with the location being life threatening inoperable, my mom burst into tears with fears of what to do with me. 

My Ganglioglioma treatments included:               Neurosurgery – to remove as much of the tumor as safely possible; surgery is often limited due to the deep, central placement of these tumors within the brain                                                                                                     Chemotherapy – either before surgery to shrink the tumor or to kill cancer cells 

Radiation therapy – precisely targeted treatment to control local growth of tumors; not recommended unless the child’s tumor has re-grown due to potential long-term side effects of therapy.

Cleveland Clinic has some of the most highly acclaimed doctors and surgeons in the world. They are one of the best trusted hospital resources for Neurological, Cardiac and Pulmonary operations. With a higher success rate than any other hospital affiliation on the entire planet, Dr Angerman relaxed my mom and assured her that I was in heaven’s hands.  On March 12th, 2001, I became a successful survivor of this rare scare of a brain tumor however the end wasn’t close yet. 

After 3 days, I was released from Cleveland Clinic Neurosurgery in Cleveland, Ohio, with 100% full confidence by Neurosurgeon Dr. Morris, that I would recover with no problems. March 16th, while at my grandmothers house, I had a stroke. I was paralyzed on the entire left side of my body for 6 weeks until April 29th 2001...... 

Dr Morris did an amazing job at my surgery and was the first person and step that gave me internal hope that led to my wellness path to what I call HEALTH however, it was the energy practices of Yoga& Pranayama, which no one in my red neck town had ever heard of), Mindfulness, Chiropractic, proper nutrition and guided imagery that allowed me to transform my mind, come back in tune with my body and provide positive feedback that would change my life, inside and out, forever. 

It’s now 18.5 years later, Aug 2019, and my passion for helping people, inspiring wellness and Mind Body Medicine to everyone I meet, especially as a career, gains excitement everyday! My true meaning of HEALTH is Holistic Enhancements Aspiring Longevity Tranquility & Happiness. Because true health starts with me, not with money, a beautiful BMW, fancy vacations or diamonds... It starts at the HEART... tap deep within and you will win.... no matter what you are going through!

When we live life in a state of our own positive definition of HEALTH, whatever it may be, we are creating an art that is unique to us and us only, but its from the heart. Learn to BREATHE... and used the same formula components(letters) to BE HEART! 

Sorry for any typos...

Namaste, Good Night friends. 

[jesslcover]

Let the PAST be Personal Ability to Stand Tough

HOW TO LET GO...  RELEASING YOUR "OLD" STORY TO CREATE A BETTER

HOW TO LET GO OF THE PAST

Holding on to the past is a critical way that we keep ourselves from reaching our goals. Whether we are holding a grudge for a perceived slight from a friend, holding on to memories from a relationship or holding on to a negative experience that replays in our minds, we all do it. But why? We like to hold on to things, situations and circumstances because in a way, it’s fulfilling. There’s comfort in familiarity and justification, even when it’s rooted in a negative experience. But, ultimately, not knowing how to let go has no real benefit – it only holds you back from achieving your true potential.

Sometimes, we use the past to justify our

current decision-making

, and that’s the reason why we don’t want to let go. Remember that nasty thing someone did to you years ago? That keeps you from going to that family gathering or from having an

extraordinary relationship

. Those memories justify everything for you. When you’re unable to let go, that becomes a part of your “story” and works against you, holding you back.

You need to learn how to let things go, so that you can focus your energy on living positively and proactively. Are you ready to change your story?

Image © Subbotina Anna/shutterstockWILL YOU LIVE INSIDE YOUR STORY OR LET GO AND MOVE ON?

So, what is your story? Your story is what you tell yourself to justify your decisions. For example, you tell yourself that you can’t have a successful relationship because of how you grew up. Your parents argued in front of you all the time, and eventually divorced. You then believe this is why you can’t maintain a healthy romantic relationship. You use this past experience to justify your current life state – even though your current state is actually a choice you make.

You don’t have to negate the truth – if that is, in fact, true – but you shouldn’t let that influence your current path because you’re unable to let go of it. When the facts are terrible or heartbreaking, it is human nature to blame someone else or even a past incident, not ourselves. This is why you blame your significant other at the end of a relationship or another person for something terrible that happened to you. Letting go of a relationship can be one of the most difficult things you will do in life. But you cannot let bad experiences dictate your future. Instead, use your experiences as a tool to push you further, not as an excuse.

Holding on to the past only has negative effects on you – it has no effect on the person you blame. The energy it takes to stoke and maintain the fire of blame is on your own back. The person you are targeting is gone, but still you keep the blaze going at your own emotional expense.

The power of letting go involves controlling the meaning you attach to events in your life. If we can’t get out of the story we’ve constructed for ourselves, then we cannot move on toward bigger and brighter things.

LETTING GO OF THE PAST

Let’s say your relationship ended, and you still feel incredible amounts of anger and resentment toward your ex. Maybe at first you felt righteous about it, like the anger was helping you move forward. However, after some time has passed, you start to see that it’s unhealthy for you, and you’re not sure how to let go of someone you love and move on with your life.

Negative feelings take a toll on your emotional and physical health – anger is even associated with heart disease – and will affect your future relationships. Recognizing this behavior as unhealthy is the first step in the art of letting go. If you’re looking for an answer toward how to move on, you are already on the right path. The good news is that you can learn how to feel happier and control your emotions.

Once you decide to commit yourself toward learning how to let go in one area of your life, you may discover other moments that you can afford to move on from as well.

MOVING FORWARD

When you’re letting go of someone, it can be helpful to think of both sides of the story. Your ex hurt you, but they did it because they needed to feel more stable in a romantic relationship. They felt their needs weren’t being met in your relationship, and they decided to take actions in order to improve their own emotional state – even if they may regret it later. Regardless of who initiated the breakup or the reason behind the split, you need to move on. Don’t worry about forgiving them for now. Instead, work on learning how to forgive yourself for getting so caught up in the drama of your personal life and allowing your anger and resentment to hurt you and hold you back.

Learning how to let things go is not as hard as it may seem. It’s true that bad things happen, but you cannot change the past. Continuing to perpetuate it only hurts your own emotional (and even physical) state, keeping you from fully enjoying life. Embrace living in the moment, and accept that there are things you cannot control.

The key to letting go of a relationship or a painful past experience is that you have to face what has happened, accept that you can’t change it and then move on. Once you’re able to move on and close old doors, inevitably new doors will open up, better opportunities will arise and, most of all, you’ll have a better story that moves you forward, instead of holding you back. Start writing your new story today.

[jesslcover]

Fear of Intimacy & how to overcome it.

Like many people, perhaps you’re interested in using the Law of Attraction to find the love you’ve always wanted. However, if you’ve given some thought to why you haven’t yet managed to manifest love, you may have realized that part of you is scared.

Whether you’re thinking about physical intimacy or emotional intimacy, the idea of being close to someone can be terrifying. You might start to push others away without even meaning to, or your fear of intimacy might stop you from vibrating on the right frequency to attract people. This can leave you feeling miserable, stuck in a lonely life that doesn’t satisfy you.

Thankfully, you don’t have to stay stuck in this way. There are methods of dealing with your anxieties, and of letting people into your heart in a safe, rewarding way. This guide will look at how to finally overcome intimacy issues and find the soul mate you deserve.

What Is Intimacy?

First, we should explore the nature and meaning of intimacy. In truth, there are many different kinds, and they emerge in all our close relationships.

So, you can be just as intimate with a friend as you are with a lover. Intimacy isn’t just about romance, sex or touch. In the simplest terms, being intimate with someone means allowing yourself to be known by them, at the same time as you remain open to knowing them in return.

A wide range of psychological research now confirms that although you can live without intimacy, you can’t grow and thrive in the same ways. There are even some studies that link a lack of intimacy with a shorter lifespan. Sometimes associated with an anxiety disorder, intimacy problems can show up in familial, platonic and romantic relationships.

So, how do you know when you’re struggling with a fear of intimacy? Let’s look at the key signs.

Signs Of Fear Of Intimacy

Fear of intimacy can look very different from person to person, depending on where you are on the fear of intimacy scale.

Think of the following as a kind of “fear of intimacy test”. The more signs you recognize, the more likely you are to be struggling with this issue:

Ambivalence about social interactions (e.g. wanting to be with others but also worrying about it)

Self-consciousness

Imagining that others think poorly of you

Anxiety at the thought of being touched (a symptom of physical intimacy issues in particular)

Difficulty forming or maintaining close relationships

Perfectionism

Nausea and sweating (physical manifestations of anxiety)

Difficulty being candid with others

Finding excuses to avoid people once you’ve started to get to know them

Generating excuses for why potential friends or partners aren’t quite right for you

Feeling trapped when someone expresses interest in you

Workaholic tendencies

Believing that deep down, you are not lovable.

7 Ways To Overcome Fear Of Intimacy

As you can likely imagine, there is no one fear of intimacy treatment that suits everyone. For example, one person’s issues may be mainly rooted in confidence problems, while another’s could focus largely on traumatic past experiences of closeness.

However, there are certain strategies that work for most people and that can easily be adapted to your specific needs. It’s worth noting that you if you suspect you have an underlying anxiety disorder that relates to more than interpersonal closeness, you should discuss this with your doctor. In such cases, medication, therapy or a combination of both can make a huge difference to your overall quality of life.

That being said, many people with the fear of intimacy need neither medication nor intensive psychotherapy. They simply need to work on shifting their default way of thinking. With that in mind, let’s look at seven of the most effective ways to overcome your fear of intimacy.

(Is something else holding you back as well? Be sure to take this quiz now to discover what is sabotaging your success!)

1. Stop Listening To Your Inner Critic

We all have an inner critic. It’s that harsh voice inside us that tells us we’re not good enough. If you have a loud inner critic, it might say this in all areas of your life, and you might think that there’s no point in being intimate with others because they’ll only reject you in the end. So, to battle your fear of intimacy, you need to work on silencing the critic. How do you do this?

The first step is awareness. Notice when your inner critic is speaking, and deliberately shut it down. You might try simply turning your attention to something else, or saying a firm “No!” (either out loud or in your head).

In the longer term, try actively rewriting the beliefs espoused by your inner critic. One useful technique here is to write down what the critic says, then write down positive statements that work as substitutes.

2. Look At Your History

You weren’t born fearing intimacy. These issues originated somewhere in your past and figuring out why can go a long way toward helping you view relationships in a different light. As you think about this, you might realize the answer is quite obvious.

For example, perhaps you grew up in a household where affairs, separations or other unpredictable events gave you the message that isn’t safe to get close to someone.

Alternatively, it may be the case that lots of smaller things set the tone for your current view of intimacy. Maybe you have childhood experiences of childhood bullying that made you feel unlovable, alongside negative judgments from your parents.

The takeaway point here is just that if you can pinpoint the origins of your fear of closeness, you can start to consciously reply to these doubts and rationally develop a new view of intimacy. In time, the new view will be what dictates your emotional responses.

3. Relax

As is obvious from the above list of fear of intimacy symptoms, having this type of issue is a stressful experience. What’s more, the tension and stress that you feel is part of a vicious cycle. The more you feel agitated, the more likely you are to avoid intimacy, and the more you avoid intimacy the more agitated and unhappy you become! That’s why relaxation is a vital part of any fear-busting strategy.

Try to set aside at least an hour and a day where you use your time exclusively for calming activities. Meditation, mindfulness, and yoga exercises are all obvious examples, but anything that makes you feel relaxed count. That means reading a novel, doing something creative or snuggling up to watch television can all be good options as well.

As well as relaxing you, these hobbies are forms of self-care that boost self-esteem. They send your subconscious mind the signal that you are a valuable, worthwhile person.

4. Determine What You Want Out Of Life

Causes of fear of intimacy can sometimes be linked to general confusion about what you want in life. If, say, you don’t know what kind of partner you really want, or what you want to accomplish with that partner, it can be tempting to just avoid romance altogether.

So, take some time to imagine your ideal life circumstances. What will you be doing for a living, and how will you be spending your time? Where will you be living? And, crucially, who will you be living with?

Consider the traits you want in a partner and the things you are not willing to accept. Think about whether you want children, the types of hobbies you want to share, and why this type of relationship will improve your life. As well as helping you make sense of your own desires, this type of reflective activity encourages you to see relationships in a positive light.

5. Build Self Confidence And Let Go Of Insecurities

As suggested above, having an intimacy avoidance disorder can often have a lot to do with your self-esteem. This means that it’s vital for you to work on increasing your confidence and on feeling good about yourself.

For example, make sure you get plenty of exercise, maintain a diet that is both healthy and enjoyable, and follow your passions so that you get genuine pleasure from every day.

As you make these types of changes, you’re sure to see a difference in the way you view intimacy and interpersonal relationships as well.

Of course, you may also have deeper rooted insecurities that are harder to budge. In these cases, life coaching or counseling can be very useful. Even just a few sessions might be enough to help you recalibrate your self-image and make a proactive plan for future growth of self-esteem.

Letting go of insecurities also involves accepting you don’t need to be perfect, you just need to be good enough.

6. Reflect On Your Past

We’ve already considered that looking at your history helps you to understand where your fear of intimacy came from in the first place. In addition, there’s a further type of reflecting on your past that can be really important and useful.

Specifically, think about your more recent history. In your adult life, what experiences with friends and partners have reinforced your sense that intimacy isn’t safe? Perhaps you’ve been through several breakups with people you genuinely thought might be “the one”, or maybe you’ve always felt like the friend who tries harder to maintain contact. All these things can emphasize that intimacy only brings pain.

To challenge this idea, write down a list of times where intimacy with friends, family or partners brought you something positive, no matter how small. Use this as a reminder to have a balanced perspective of intimacy. Yes, it can be daunting, but it can also be comforting and enriching.

7. Practice Being Vulnerable

Finally, though it may sound strange at first, treatment for fear of intimacy often requires deliberately making yourself vulnerable. This is a way of teaching yourself that being close to others doesn’t need to be scary. Start small. Challenge yourself to chat to a new person at work, in a class or just in passing, or share a little-known fact about yourself with a friend, and notice their positive response.

In time, you can work up to making larger changes, proving both the benefits of intimacy and showing yourself that you actually have the resilience to bounce back when you don’t get the ideal results.

Crucially, practicing being vulnerable involves consciously being more you. Show the world your real self, not a mask, and have faith that the right people will respond to it in a loving, open way. If you don’t do this, then you prevent yourself from experiencing the joy associated with being truly known.

Start Manifesting Love Today!!

[jesslcover]

Support & Accountability in Coaching.....

For many adults, requiring accountability outside of an employer/employee relationship seems really uncomfortable.  Asking another person if they followed through with what they were supposed to be doing can almost feel like you’re keeping tabs on a child.

But we have to get over those feelings if we’re going to coach people with success.  It’s important to remember that clients have contracted with a coach because there are places they want to go in their life that they have been unable to reach on their own.  There is at least some level of expecting, even desiring to be pushed.

It’s much better to confront the trouble areas of life with someone than for someone to do it for themselves.  It’s even better if we confront trouble areas with someone who actually believes in us and is committed to our success.

For accountability to work, we have to:

Be clear about expectations

Ensure that expectations are understood

Ask for feedback from the client to make sure they understand expectations

Coaching did not happen unless it closes with commitment.  Accountability begins with commitment.

In Module 8, we discussed the “W” actions steps of the GROW model.

At the end of each session, the client is asked: “What are you committing to?”  When we ask these questions specifically, we are asking for the client to make a verbalized commitment to the actions steps that we’ve agreed upon.

It’s not enough to just generally agree.  We’re qualifying the agreement with commitment.  Here’s an example:

“So are you committed to going to the doctor to get your wrist checked out?”

“Yeah, I really need to get it checked out.”

“Okay, so make a decision: are you going to get your wrist checked out?”

“Yes, I will.”

“When do you plan on taking care of that?”

SUPPORT & FOLLOWUP

In subsequent coaching sessions, we must follow up on action items.  The coach asks the client for a progress report on the items agreed upon.

As we follow up, we don’t ask general, vague questions.

Example:

“Hey, how’s your wrist feeling?” – general and indirect

“Did you go to the doctor?” – direct, specific, and closed

“How did your action steps go?” – too general and skimming

“Let’s go through each of the action items, and you can tell me what you did on each one.” – specific and detailed

If the client fails to keep a commitment to an action item, the coach should not be quick to judge or diagnose the problem.  On the other hand, the coach cannot just blow it off and act like it’s no big deal.  That wouldn’t be honest.

Instead, the coach can begin there and ask the client:

“What kept you from keeping your commitment?”

“What would you like to change about your approach?”

The coach isn’t placing blame or shame but is keeping the client accountable and owning the solution.

It’s difficult for a coach not to be perceived as an authority figure.  However, as we’ve said earlier, influence is greater than authority.

When a client genuinely knows they are cared for, believed in, and supported, the desire of the heart shifts and they are not accountable just because they are afraid of being asked.  Fear may be a motivation for change, but it’s not a positive motivation for change in a relationship.

Healthy accountability is detected really simply:

Is it life-giving?

Is it encouraging? (literally does it give courage)

Accountability should always be supportive and give energy.

HEALTHY ACCOUNTABILITY

It is voluntary

Healthy accountability starts with a voluntary relationship where one person requests the other to hold them accountable for a personal commitment.

In a coaching, this is part of the nature of a relationship: I will say that I’m going to do “x,” and you are going to ask me about “x” to confirm that I’ve kept my commitment.

It is not guilt or shame based

Most of the accountability that we have experienced has been the type like mom coming home to find out that we didn’t do the chores that she told us to do before we left to go to the movies.

Shame and guilt are focused on who we are and judgment for what we do.  There’s always fear and an expectation of consequences that are tied to them.

Shame and guilt will never bring a positive, lasting life change.

It is positive and based on support

In a coaching relationship, if a client has dropped the ball on action items, there should be no fear or dread of the next meeting.  And if a client comes to the meeting with their own personal shame and guilt, then this is the place we need to visit to remove self-imposed shame and guilt.

“I was really lazy and didn’t follow through with anything from last time.  I guess I have a problem with commitments.”

“Wow, you really owned that one.  What do you mean by ‘a problem with commitments?’ Can you unpack that for me?”

A coach can go right to the source of limiting, false, disqualifying beliefs and bring the support and encouragement that’s needed.

When shame and guilt are removed, courage is restored and the energy to recommit should be returned.

It stops negative patterns from starting

When we cultivate healthy accountability by consistently asking positive, direct statements about follow through, we eliminate patterns of failure before they ever start.

That’s what healthy accountability does: it serves as a mechanism to prevent balls from being dropped.

ENCOURAGEMENT & CELEBRATION

If coaches are going to take the time to ask the client to be accountable, it’s important to give credit where credit is due.  Affirmation and validation is critical to the success of your client.

In your first session with a client (or perhaps in an intake form), you can actually ask the client:

What are some things that motivate you?

What are the kinds of things that demotivate you?

What makes you feel appreciated?

What are the ways that you like to be praised?

When was a time that you felt most valued?

When we ask these questions on the front end, we can get a really good idea of the key motivators for a person.  Every person needs to be praised and celebrated, but every person has their own language for praise and celebration.  Knowing what triggers feelings of value and affirmation in clients help us relate to them in ways that they understand and can respond.

[jesslcover]

Active Listening

ACTIVE LISTENING

Active listening in a coaching relationship simply means “listening and clarifying.”  It is a communication technique that requires the coach to understand, interpret, and evaluate what they hear.

When we are active in the process of listening, we’re asking the questions.   We’re not just nodding our heads.  We are participating with the client, actively involved in their unpacking, illuminating, and specifying what they are saying.

Active listening is important because as coaches:

We can’t assume to understand everything a client is saying

What the client means and what I think they mean can be very different things

If we don’t clarify then we could easily have our judgment clouded and jump to the wrong conclusion

So we consistently ask the client to clarify what “x” means for them.

As a simple way of remembering, we’ll use the acronym H.E.A.R.

H – Hear the client’s words and feelings

By this we mean don’t try to evaluate or come to a conclusion about what they mean.  Let them speak, and don’t cut them off.

E – Empathize with the client

Attempt to put yourself in their shoes.  Paraphrase the facts so that you can understand their position.

A – Analyze the client’s words and thoughts and ask for clarification.

R – Respond only after they have completed their thoughts.

ACTIVE LISTENING TECHNIQUES

Note that everything that was covered in the previous section regarding body language and non-verbal communication is part of active listening.  However, we will not recap it here.

Silence

Silence is knowing how to keep quiet, knowing how not to intervene in the client’s “dialogue”, or knowing how not to express feelings and reactions, nor ask questions.

Keyword Repetition

One of the simplest techniques is to repeat the last word or group of words, adding to the repetition of a questioning intonation, for example:

“I’m very careful not to offend people with my lavish lifestyle.

"Lavish lifestyle?”

Repeating the word shows the client that you are engaged and invites them to expand upon what they mean by their choice of words.

Keyword Questioning

In a similar manner to Keyword Repetition, you can use the keyword in a question:

“So what do you mean by ‘lavish lifestyle’?”

Positive Reinforcement

Offering the client positive, supportive and validating comments.

“Wow, I admire your vulnerability”

Validation/Permission

“I always reach out to the hardest case people.”

“And sometimes that means you see something amazing that others may not, don’t you think?”

When a client is validated, it opens the opportunity for them to explore.

Ask for permission

When a coach asks for permission, they are respecting the personal space of the client.

“May I interrupt?”

“May I share my feeling?”

Expressing feelings

“What you just said was really brave, and it really touched my heart.”

This type of sharing encourages the client with support.

Expressing Perceptions

A coach can express their perceptions and invite the client to respond to clarify.

“It seems to me that you are really at peace with your job. Would you say that?”

Anytime a coach volunteers a perception, the client is given the opportunity or permission to disagree or to clarify the perception.

Metaphors

When a coach uses a metaphor, they are briefly interrupting client dialogue with a very short (ideally one or two words) metaphor, image, analogy or popular saying that clearly fits in the client frame of reference.  It implies understanding and helps to clarify.

“I feel so overwhelmed.  My employees want overtime.  My boss wants me to cut hours.”

“Stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

Humility

You can use phrases that show that you’re not being presumptuous.

“I may be wrong, but…”

We’re introducing our perspective, but we’re also empowering the client to consider it and reject it if it doesn’t fit.

WHAT ARE WE LISTENING FOR?

As we are listening, we’re exploring.  We’re following our curiosity based on the kinds of things our clients say.  In any given conversation, as we listen to our clients, we will hear certain words or phrases that should pique our curiosity.  These keywords and phrases are indicative of something that needs the client’s investigation and attention.

Specifically, we are listening for:

The client’s perception of an event, themselves, or situations

Some sort of event that was life-altering, defining, or paradigm shifting

Any kind of emotional reaction

Any kind of red flag

Let’s take a few minutes to read a dialogue so you can pick them out:

“So Jack, you’re saying that you want to take steps towards a career move.  Tell me more about what you want.”

“I just can’t handle working as a lawyer anymore.  It’s a thankless job.  So I want to get out.”

“Okay, that was pretty much to the point. You said it’s a ‘thankless job,’ what do you mean by that?”

“Alright.  I went to law school, and I got into this job to help people.  And I’ve always been committed to that.  And, at this firm, I’ve helped a lot of people..well, we’ve helped a lot of people.  About 5 years ago, there were some changes.  A new partner came on board, and let’s just say he’s more focused on making money than helping people.”

“Go on…”

“Before then we actually celebrated victories that we had with our clients.  Now there’s no time to even think about it.  Our client load is double.  It’s not personal anymore.  And I can’t believe my boss stuck his head in my office yesterday and told me that he needed me to come in on Father’s Day.  He doesn’t have kids, so he doesn’t care.  So screw it.  I’m just done with this business.

Let’s review:

The client’s perception of an event, themselves, or situations

o   It’s a thankless job

o   My boss is greedy and doesn’t care

Some sort of event that was life-altering, defining, or paradigm shifting

o   Jack got a new boss 5 years ago

Any kind of emotional reaction

o   Jack helps his clients

o   Jack celebrated with his clients

o   Jack wanted to be with his family on Father’s Day

Any kind of red flag

o   Jack wants to quit

As fix-it kinds of people, we could read 3 paragraphs and draw some conclusions if we wanted to:

Jack doesn’t need to quit his job; he obviously loves helping people.

Jack needs to quit withdrawing from his boss and confront him.

We need to get Jack to another firm that has his same values.

Instead, as coaches, we’re not going to look at these things as problems to fix, we are going to look at them as places to ask questions.  As coaches, we’ll visit and unpack these areas so that Jack can weigh in.   What’s really going on here?

We aren’t diagnosing, but we are noting the importance of what we’re seeing, and we’re asking questions.  The client stays in control, and the coach pushes them to go to another level to think and address it.

[jesslcover]

Powerful Lesson to Learn when you LET GO

There’s so much you can let go of in life without losing a thing. It’s called growth. Letting go of the old makes way for the new. Letting go of what isn’t working makes way for what will. When the pain of holding on is worse than the pain of letting go, it’s time to let go and grow! In other words, start subtracting ... the habits, routines and mindsets that are holding you back. You cannot discover new oceans unless you build up enough courage to lose sight of the old, familiar shoreline. Have you consciously loosened your grip on everything that’s behind you, so you can step forward again with grace? If you’re shaking your head, you aren’t alone. I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been there myself, and I know dozens of others in the same boat. At times, we all fall victim to our attachments. And sometimes we don’t even realize we’re blocking our own present blessings by holding on to the past. Do your best to realize this right now… Growth is painful. Change is painful. But in the end, nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere in the past. Remind yourself of a powerful lesson … a vital truth: You can have a heartbreaking story from the past, without letting it rule your present. In the present moment, we all have some kind of pain: anger, sadness, frustration, disappointment, regret, etc. Notice this pain within yourself, watch it closely, and see that it’s caused by whatever story you have in your head about what happened in the past (either in the recent past or in the distant past). Your mind might insist that the pain you feel is caused by what happened (not by the story in your head about it), but what happened in the past is NOT happening right now. It’s over. It has passed. But the pain is still happening right now because of the story you’ve been subconsciously telling yourself about that past incident. Note that “story” does not mean “fake story.” It also does not mean “true story.” The word “story” in the context of your self-evaluation doesn’t have to imply true or false, positive or negative, or any other kind of forceful judgment call. It’s simply a process that’s happening inside your head:

You are remembering something that happened.

You subconsciously perceive yourself as a victim of this incident.

Your memory of what happened causes a strong emotion in you.

So, just notice what story you have, without judging it, and without judging yourself. It’s natural to have a story; we all have stories. See yours for what it is. And see that it’s causing you pain. Then take a deep breath, and another… Inner peace begins the moment you take these deep breaths and choose not to allow the past to rule your present thoughts and emotions. But, as we are aware, that's sometimes much easier said than done. Letting go and thinking better in the present takes guidance and practice.

[jesslcover]

Turning Wounds into Wisdom

At some point, you will come to realize that living the good life involves some amount of necessary pain, and that there are more flavors of pain than ice cream and coffee combined…

There’s the little empty pain of leaving something behind ‒ graduating, taking the next step, walking out of a familiar, safe situation and into the excitement of the unknown.  There’s the giant, whirling pain of life upsetting all of your big plans and expectations.  There’s the little sharp pains of making a mistake, and the more obscure aches of success, when it doesn’t make you feel as good as you thought it would.  There are the vicious, backstabbing pains of betrayal.  The sweet little pains of finding others who are worthy of your time, giving them your love, and taking joy in their life as they grow and learn.  There’s the steady pain of empathy that you shrug off so you can stand beside a wounded friend or lover and help them face their problems.

And on the best of days, there are the subtle, tingling pains you feel throughout your body when you realize that you’re standing in a moment of sweet perfection, an instant of great achievement, or happiness, or laughter, which at the same time cannot possibly last ‒ and yet will remain with you for the rest of your life.

Everyone is down on pain, and when we experience it we usually say we’re having a bad day, because we forget something important about what we’re going through: Pain is for the living – for those of us who still have the chance of a lifetime.  Only the dead don’t feel it, because their time is already up.

So with this in mind, here are twelve smart ways to turn all your daily wounds into wisdom and strength:

Admit to your emotional pain, so you can deal with it and heal.– Emotional pain is less dramatic than physical pain, at least from the outside looking in, but it is more common and also more difficult to bear than broken bones.  The frequent attempt to conceal emotional pain increases the burden.  Don’t do this to yourself.  Sure, it is easier to say, “My leg is aching” than to say, “My heart is broken,” but that doesn’t mean your heart needs less self-care then your leg.  If fact, the exact opposite is true.

Let go of what used to be and no longer is. – When you realize that none of it is yours – that you don’t get to claim or even keep any of it in the end – and when you’re willing to let go of attaching to anything you consider “mine,” you’re suddenly free.  There’s no need to grip or grasp.  Yet, one of the hardest lessons in life is letting go – whether it’s possessions, obsessions, anger, love or loss.  Change is never easy – you fight to hold on and you fight to let go.  But letting go is always the healthiest path forward.  It clears out toxic attachments and thoughts from the past.  You’ve got to emotionally free yourself from the things that once meant a lot to you, so you can move beyond the past and the pain it brings you.  Again, it takes hard work to let go and refocus your thoughts, but it’s worth every bit of effort you can muster.

Emotionally detach yourself from your problems. – You are a living, breathing human being who is infinitely more complex than all of your individual problems added up together.  And that means you’re more powerful than them – you have the ability to change them, and to change the way you feel about them.  (Read Loving What Is.)

View every challenge as an educational assignment. – Ask yourself:  “What is this situation meant to teach me?”  Every situation in our lives has a lesson to teach us.  Some of these lessons include:  To become stronger.  To communicate more clearly.  To trust your instincts.  To express your love.  To forgive.  To know when to let go.  To try something new, learn something new, and never look back.

Ask yourself more positive questions. – If you ask negative questions, you will get negative answers.  There are no positive answers to, “Why me?” “Why didn’t I?” “What if?” etc.  Would you allow someone else to ask you the demoralizing questions you sometimes ask yourself?  I doubt it.  So stop and swap them for questions that push you in a positive direction.  For instance, “What can I do right now to move forward?”

Make small adjustments as you figure out what works and what doesn’t. – A big part of your life is a result of the choices you make.  If you don’t like some part of your life, then it is time to start making changes and better choices.  This change may not be easy, but it is possible.  Habits that keep us stuck in life are made in each moment, day by day.  Undoing these habits takes the same exact path.  Focus on the small things you can do right now, not the big things you can’t.  These small daily changes add up to huge results in the end.  (Angel and I discuss this in detail in the “Goals and Success” chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)

Keep putting one foot in front of the other. – Winston S. Churchill once said, “If you are going through hell, keep going.”  In other words, never, never, never give in!  The brick walls in life are there for a reason.  They are not there to keep you out.  They are there to give you a chance to show how badly you want something.  Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it as badly as you do.  They are there to stop the other people.

Keep calm and focus on the positive. – The realist sees reality as concrete.  The OPTIMIST sees reality as clay.  Be the optimist and mold the clay your way.  Take what you’ve learned and build something new.  In other words, don’t see the difficulties in today’s opportunities, see the opportunities in today’s difficulties.  Write it on your heart that today is a chance of a lifetime.  And remember that there is always a reason to celebrate.  Slowing down long enough to celebrate the small victories creates momentum and inspiration to keep on keepin’ on.  I encourage my coaching clients and friends to celebrate every little thing, every chance they get.

Consciously nurture your inner hope. – There’s a saying in Tibetan, “Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.”  No matter what sort of difficulties, or how painful an experience is, if you lose your hope, that’s your real tragedy.  So remember, a loss, a worry, an illness, a dream crushed – no matter how deep your hurt or how high your aspirations, do yourself a favor and pause at least once a day, place your hands over your heart and say aloud, “Hope lives here.”

Remind yourself that you are not alone. – To lose sleep worrying about a friend.  To have trouble picking yourself up after someone lets you down.  To feel like less because someone didn’t love you enough to stay.  To be afraid to try something new for fear that you will fail.  None of this means you’re dysfunctional or crazy.  It just means you’re human, and that you need a little time to right yourself.  You are not alone.  No matter how embarrassed or pathetic you feel about your own situation, there are others out there experiencing the same emotions.  When you hear yourself say, “I am all alone,” it is your mind trying to sell you a lie.

Pay less attention to other people’s opinions of you. – The truth is that what people say and do to you is much more about them, than you.  People’s reactions to you are about their perspectives, wounds and experiences.  Whether someone thinks you’re amazing, or believes you’re terrible, again, is more about them.  I am not suggesting we should be narcissists and ignore all feedback, but I am saying that too much hurt, disappointment and sadness in our lives comes from taking things personally.  In most cases it’s far more productive and healthy to let go of other people’s good or bad opinions of you, and to operate with your own intuition and wisdom as your guide.  (Read The Four Agreements.)

Embrace the new, stronger version of YOU. – You are not who you used to be, and that’s okay.  You’ve been hurt; you’ve gone through numerous ups and downs that have made you who you are today.  Over the years, so many things have happened – things that have changed your perspective, taught you lessons, and forced your spirit to grow.  As time passes, nobody stays the same, but some people will still tell you that you have changed.  Respond to them by saying, “Of course I’ve changed.  That’s what life is all about.  I’m still the same human being, just a little stronger now than I ever was before.”

Afterthoughts

Remember, strength doesn’t come from comfort; it comes from stretching your comfort zone and overcoming all the things you once thought you couldn’t handle.  When you find yourself at your most painful points in life, you are open to the greatest positive change.

In the end, the strongest people are the ones who feel pain, accept it, learn from it, and fight through it.

They turn their wounds into wisdom and strength.

The floor is yours…

How have you turned your wounds into wisdom and strength?  What’s one painful situation that ultimately made you stronger?  Leave a comment below and share your thoughts and insights.

[jesslcover]

How to Lose Weight Fast: 3 Simple Steps, Based on Science

There are many ways to lose a lot of weight fast.

However, most of them will make you hungry and unsatisfied.

If you don't have iron willpower, then hunger will cause you to give up on these plans quickly.

The plan outlined here will:

Reduce your appetite significantly.

Make you lose weight quickly, without hunger.

Improve your metabolic health at the same time.

Here is a simple 3-step plan to lose weight fast.

1. Cut Back on Sugars and Starches

The most important part is to cut back on sugars and starches (carbs).

These are the foods that stimulate secretion of insulin the most. If you didn't know already, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body.

When insulin goes down, fat has an easier time getting out of the fat stores and the body starts burning fats instead of carbs.

Another benefit of lowering insulin is that your kidneys shed excess sodium and water out of your body, which reduces bloat and unnecessary water weight 

It is not uncommon to lose up to 10 pounds (sometimes more) in the first week of eating this way, both body fat and water weight.

This is a graph from a study comparing low-carb and low-fat diets in overweight/obese women 

The low-carb group is eating until fullness, while the low-fat group is calorie restricted and hungry.

Cut the carbs, lower your insulin and you will start to eat less calories automatically and without hunger 

Put simply, lowering your insulin puts fat loss on "autopilot."

BOTTOM LINE:Removing sugars and starches (carbs) from your diet will lower your insulin levels, kill your appetite and make you lose weight without hunger.

2. Eat Protein, Fat and Vegetables

Each one of your meals should include a protein source, a fat source and low-carb vegetables. Constructing your meals in this way will automatically bring your carb intake into the recommended range of 20-50 grams per day.

Protein Sources:

Meat - Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, bacon, etc.

Fish and Seafood - Salmon, trout, shrimps, lobsters, etc.

Eggs - Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs are best.

The importance of eating plenty of protein can not be overstated.

This has been shown to boost metabolism by 80 to 100 calories per day 

High protein diets can also reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60%, reduce desire for late-night snacking by half, and make you so full that you automatically eat 441 fewer calories per day... just by adding protein to your diet 

When it comes to losing weight, protein is the king of nutrients. Period.

Low-Carb Vegetables:

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Spinach

Kale

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Swiss Chard

Lettuce

Cucumber

Celery

Full list here.

Don’t be afraid to load your plate with these low-carb vegetables. You can eat massive amounts of them without going over 20-50 net carbs per day.

A diet based on meat and vegetables contains all the fiber, vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. There is no physiological need for grains in the diet.

Fat Sources:

Olive oil

Coconut oil

Avocado oil

Butter

Tallow

Eat 2-3 meals per day. If you find yourself hungry in the afternoon, add a 4th meal.

Don’t be afraid of eating fat, trying to do both low-carb AND low-fat at the same time is a recipe for failure. It will make you feel miserable and abandon the plan.

The best cooking fat to use is coconut oil. It is rich in fats called medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These fats are more fulfilling than others and can boost metabolism slightly 

There is no reason to fear these natural fats, new studies show that saturated fat doesn’t raise your heart disease risk at all 

To see how you can assemble your meals, check out this low carb meal plan and this list of 101 low carb recipes.

BOTTOM LINE:Assemble each meal out of a protein source, a fat source and a low-carb vegetable. This will put you into the 20-50 gram carb range and drastically lower your insulin levels.

3. Lift Weights 3 Times Per Week

You don't need to exercise to lose weight on this plan, but it is recommended.

The best option is to go to the gym 3-4 times a week. Do a warm up, lift weights, then stretch.

If you're new to the gym, ask a trainer for some advice.

By lifting weights, you will burn a few calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight 

Studies on low-carb diets show that you can even gain a bit of muscle while losing significant amounts of body fat

If lifting weights is not an option for you, then doing some easier cardio workouts like running, jogging, swimming or walking will suffice.

BOTTOM LINE:It is best to do some sort of resistance training like weight lifting. If that is not an option, cardio workouts work too.

ADVERTISING

Optional - Do a "Carb Re-feed" Once Per Week

You can take one day "off" per week where you eat more carbs. Many people prefer Saturday.

It is important to try to stick to healthier carb sources like oats, rice, quinoa, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruits, etc.

But only this one higher carb day, if you start doing it more often than once per week then you're not going to see much success on this plan.

If you must have a cheat meal and eat something unhealthy, then do it on this day.

Be aware that cheat meals or carb refeeds are NOT necessary, but they can up-regulate some fat burning hormones like leptin and thyroid hormones 

You will gain some weight during your re-feed day, but most of it will be water weight and you will lose it again in the next 1-2 days.

BOTTOM LINE:Having one day of the week where you eat more carbs is perfectly acceptable, although not necessary.

What About Calories and Portion Control?

It is NOT necessary to count calories as long as you keep the carbs very low and stick to protein, fat and low-carb vegetables.

However, if you really want to, then use this calculator.

Enter your details, then pick the number from either the "Lose Weight" or the "Lose Weight Fast" section - depending on how fast you want to lose.

There are many great tools you can use to track the amount of calories you are eating. Here is a list of 5 calorie counters that are free and easy to use.

The main goal is to keep carbs under 20-50 grams per day and get the rest of your calories from protein and fat.

BOTTOM LINE:It is not necessary to count calories to lose weight on this plan. It is most important to strictly keep your carbs in the 20-50 gram range.

10 Weight Loss Tips to Make Things Easier (and Faster)

Here are 10 more tips to lose weight even faster:

Eat a high-protein breakfast. Eating a high-protein breakfast has been shown to reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day (19, 20, 

Avoid sugary drinks and fruit juice. These are the most fattening things you can put into your body, and avoiding them can help you lose weight 

Drink water a half hour before meals. One study showed that drinking water a half hour before meals increased weight loss by 44% over 3 months 

Choose weight loss-friendly foods (see list). Certain foods are very useful for losing fat. Here is a list of the 20 most weight loss-friendly foods on earth.

Eat soluble fiber. Studies show that soluble fibers may reduce fat, especially in the belly area. Fiber supplements like glucomannan can also help 

Drink coffee or tea. If you're a coffee or tea drinker, then drink as much as you want as the caffeine in them can boost your metabolism by 3-11% 

Eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods. Base most of your diet on whole foods. They are healthier, more filling and much less likely to cause overeating.

Eat your food slowly. Fast eaters gain more weight over time. Eating slowly makes you feel more full and boosts weight-reducing hormones 

Use smaller plates. Studies show that people automatically eat less when they use smaller plates. Strange, but it works 

Get a good night's sleep, every night. Poor sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain, so taking care of your sleep is important 

Even more tips here: 30 Easy Ways to Lose Weight Naturally (Backed by Science).

BOTTOM LINE:It is most important to stick to the three rules, but there are a few other things you can do to speed things up.

How Fast You Will Lose (and Other Benefits)

You can expect to lose 5-10 pounds of weight (sometimes more) in the first week, then consistent weight loss after that.

I can personally lose 3-4 lbs per week for a few weeks when I do this strictly.

If you're new to dieting, then things will probably happen quickly. The more weight you have to lose, the faster you will lose it.

For the first few days, you might feel a bit strange. Your body has been burning carbs for all these years, it can take time for it to get used to burning fat instead.

It is called the "low carb flu" and is usually over within a few days. For me it takes 3. Adding some sodium to your diet can help with this, such as dissolving a bouillon cube in a cup of hot water and drinking it.

After that, most people report feeling very good, positive and energetic. At this point you will officially have become a "fat burning beast."

Despite the decades of anti-fat hysteria, the low-carb diet also improves your health in many other ways:

Blood Sugar tends to go way down on low-carb diets 

Triglycerides tend to go down

Small, dense LDL (the bad) Cholesterol goes down 

HDL (the good) cholesterol goes up 

Blood pressure improves significantly

To top it all off, low-carb diets appear to be easier to follow than low-fat diets.

BOTTOM LINE:You can expect to lose a lot of weight, but it depends on the person how quickly it will happen. Low-carb diets also improve your health in many other ways.

You Don't Need to Starve Yourself to Lose Weight

If you have a medical condition then talk to your doctor before making changes because this plan can reduce your need for medication.

By reducing carbs and lowering insulin levels, you change the hormonal environment and make your body and brain "want" to lose weight.

This leads to drastically reduced appetite and hunger, eliminating the main reason that most people fail with conventional weight loss methods.

This is proven to make you lose about 2-3 times as much weight as a typical low-fat, calorie restricted diet.

Another great benefit for the impatient folks is that the initial drop in water weight can lead to a big difference on the scale as early as the next morning.

Here are a few examples of low-carb meals that are simple, delicious and can be prepared in under 10 minutes: 7 Healthy Low-Carb Meals in 10 Minutes or Less.

On this plan, you can eat good food until fullness and still lose a ton of fat. Welcome to paradise.

[jesslcover]

High Fiber... The way to Go!

Despite its popular association with trips to the restroom, fiber is no joke. The benefits of an efficient bowel aside, a high-fiber diet can also reduce the risk of stroke, hypertension, and heart disease. Unfortunately, fiber consumption is currently at an all-time low, with less than three percent of Americans meeting the recommended intake .

Why Fiber?

Fiber is something the body needs but never actually digests—in fact, it remains more or less the same from plate to toilet. It comes in two varieties, soluble and insoluble, and most plant-based foods contain a mixture of the two. Soluble fiber turns to gel in the stomach and slows digestion, which helps lower cholesterol and blood glucose. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, remains unchanged all the way to the colon, making waste heavier and softer so it can shimmy through the intestines more easily. Regardless of these differences, neither type of fiber is ever absorbed into the body.

Skipping out on a daily dose of fiber often leads to constipation, which can make going to the bathroom painful and uncomfortable—hence the term “backed up.” Eating too little fiber can make it tough to control blood sugar and appetite because fiber regulates the speed of digestion and contributes to satiety (aka feeling full). There can be too much of a good thing, though. Overdoing it with fiber can move food through the intestines too quickly, which means fewer minerals get absorbed from food. It can also result in uncomfy gas, bloating, and cramping, especially when fiber intake is dramatically increased overnight .

ADVERTISING

inRead invented by Teads

5 stories. 1 daily email.

Every reason to get healthyish.

So what’s the magic amount? The Institute of Medicine recommends that men under 50 eat about 38 grams of fiber each day and women consume 25 grams. Adults over 50 require less fiber (30 grams for dudes and 21 grams for ladies) due to decreased food consumption. To put that into perspective, a young man is supposed to eat the same amount of fiber found in 15 slices of whole-wheat bread every day.

But fear not! Despite common preconceptions, whole grains are hardly the best source of fiber around. Read on to learn about a few of our favorite, fiber-rich foods, plus a tasty recipe to help get ‘em on the table.

The Best High-Fiber Foods

Note: The amount of fiber in these foods can vary slightly between the raw and cooked versions.

1.

Split Peas

Fiber: 16.3 grams per cup, cooked. Go-To Recipe: Spinach and Yellow Split Pea Soup A staple in Indian cooking, split peas form a terrific, protein-rich base for soups, stews, and dhals. This South Asian recipe is the best kind of comfort food: healthy, satisfying, and super filling.

2.

Lentils

Fiber: 15.6 grams per cup, cooked. Go-To Recipe: Lentil Quinoa Burgers with Sautéed Mushrooms Lentils are kitchen all-stars—they take less time to cook and are more versatile than many other legumes. This recipe takes advantage of their slightly meatier taste and turns them into a juicy patty that’s held together with lemon juice, cilantro, and walnuts.

3.

Black Beans

Fiber: 15 grams per cup, cooked. Go-To Recipe: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili Sweet potato pairs perfectly with the smokiness of chipotle peppers and adds even more fiber to this hearty bean dish. Loaded with complex carbs and protein, this cold-weather stew makes a perfect post-workout meal.

4.

Lima Beans

Fiber: 13.2 grams per cup, cooked. Go-To Recipe: Leek and Lima Bean Soup with Bacon Lima beans might sound unappetizing, but when cooked in bacon fat, paired with leeks, puréed into a soup, and topped with sour cream, they’re pretty darn delicious.

5.

Artichokes

Fiber: 10.3 grams per medium vegetable, cooked. Go-To Recipe: Roasted Artichokes for Two Packing more fiber per serving than any other vegetable, artichokes are curiously underused in most people’s kitchens (perhaps because they look a bit… prickly). Get creative and try this simple recipe with lime, garlic, and black pepper.

6.

Peas

Fiber: 8.8 grams per cup, cooked. Go-To Recipe: Scallops on Minted Pea Purée with Prosciutto Puréeing veggies is a great way to squeeze extra nutrients into any meal—this recipe comes together lightning-fast and is filled with protein, omega-3s, and, of course, fiber.

7.

Broccoli

Fiber: 5.1 grams per cup, boiled. Go-To Recipe: Paleo Broccoli Fritters This caveman-friendly dish is pretty simple. To make these fritters, just combine onion, garlic, broccoli, eggs, and almond meal. Once they hit the table, you’ll be surprised how much broccoli gets finished in one sitting.

8.

Brussels Sprouts

Fiber: 4.1 grams per cup, boiled. Go-To Recipe: Hoisin Glazed Brussels Sprouts Try this Asian twist on the old standard—this meal carries tones of ginger, sesame, and peanut that will keep you coming back for seconds (and maybe thirds).

9.

Raspberries

Fiber: 8 grams per cup, raw. Go-To Recipe: Raspberry, Coconut, and Oat Macaroons Raspberries aren’t a hard sell—they’re basically nature’s candy. With the help of coconut, oatmeal, and vanilla, they make a relatively healthy dessert that pleases any palate.

ADVERTISING

inRead invented by Teads

10.

Blackberries

Fiber: 7.6 grams per cup, raw. Go-To Recipe: Blackberry Lemon Salad Successfully mixing sweet and savory isn’t for the faint of heart, but this salad makes use of blackberries, lemon, scallions, and dill to great effect.

11.

Avocados

Fiber: 6.7 grams per half, raw. Go-To Recipe: Chicken, Black Bean, Avocado and Radish Salad Few foods deserve the title of “superfood” more than the avocado, which is jam-packed with vitamins, fiber, and healthy fats. Pile it on top of this low-carb, Mexican-inspired salad to add some creamy goodness.

12.

Pears

Fiber: 5.5 grams per medium fruit, raw. Go-To Recipe: Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Pears This recipe is a simple and inexpensive way to experiment with an unusual flavor combination. Pork works well with sweeter flavors, and the high sugar content of pears makes them easy to caramelize.

13.

Bran Flakes

Fiber: 7 grams per cup, raw. Go-To Recipe: Vanilla, Honey, and Yogurt Smoothie with Bran Flakes Short on time? Whip up a nutritious smoothie and take breakfast to go. This shake is a healthy and delicious way to get plenty of fiber and a hefty amount of protein, all in one glass.

14.

Whole-Wheat Pasta

Fiber: 6.3 grams per cup, cooked. Go-To Recipe: Avocado Pesto Pasta with Peas and Spinach With the right sauce, whole-wheat pasta is indistinguishable from its high G.I., white-flour cousin. Mix in avocado to add a wonderful creaminess to your pasta without using dairy.

15.

Pearled barley

Fiber: 6 grams per cup, cooked. Go-To Recipe: Pearl Barley Risotto with Roasted Squash, Red Peppers, and Rocket It’s not just for making beer—barley is a chewy, nutritious grain that contains more fiber than oatmeal and brown rice. It can be used in soup, salad, or tea, but try it out in this tasty risotto with seasonal fall vegetables.

16.

Oatmeal

Fiber: 4 grams per cup, cooked. Go-To Recipe: Carrot Cake Oatmeal With just one tablespoon of maple syrup per serving, this breakfast is a guilt-free way to indulge in the morning. Plus, it’s packed with fiber-friendly oats, carrots, and coconut.

Sneaky Tips to Add More Fiber to Any Meal

Add flaxseed meal to oats, smoothies, yogurt, and baked goods—you can even try breading chicken or fish with it. A two-tablespoon serving contains 3.8 grams of fiber and a dose of omega-3 fatty acids to boot.

Chia seeds have a whopping 5.5 grams of fiber per tablespoon. When they meet with water, they form a goopy gel that is great for thickening smoothies, making healthy puddings, or replacing eggs in cakes and cookies.

While spinach and carrots aren’t as high in fiber as the veggies mentioned above, they can easily be sliced or grated and snuck into many dishes without much hassle: Try adding some to banana bread, shakes, eggs, or even a homemade pizza base.

Food processors are fiber’s best friend. Purée some cooked vegetables and add them to sauces and stews, or swap out rice for chopped-up cauliflower.

[jesslcover]

8 Foods to Eat Tonight to De-Bloat by Tomorrow

YOGURT

“Yogurt is packed with probiotics—good bacteria that helps your gastrointestinal system digest and absorb food appropriately,” says Tara Coleman, a clinical nutritionist in San Diego. Instead of having a sugary dessert post-dinner, try mixing fresh fruit, like blueberries or grapefruit slices, into non-fat yogurt. It has a fraction of the calories and is full of nutrients that will help lengthen you out as you sleep. “Skip the sugary fruit yogurts if you can and buy plain,” says Kirkpatrick.

CAYENNE PEPPER

Time to whip out the hot sauce! Spicing up your dinner with something fiery can work wonders for your pooch. “The capsaicin in cayenne pepper reduces gas and bloating because it increases the flow of digestive enzymes through your intestines,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, R.D., wellness manager at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Capsaicin also kills the bad bacteria in our bellies that causes gas and bloating.

GINGER

One of the oldest herbal medicines around, ginger’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties work wonders on bloat. “Ginger contains a digestive enzyme called zingibain, which helps the body break down protein,” says Coleman. “This is one of the reasons sushi is typically served with a whole side of it." The best way to enjoy it is by making a warm cup of homemade ginger tea. Sipping it before, during, or after a meal will help your body stimulate saliva, bile, and gastric juices that aid in digestion. “It also has a nice relaxing effect on your intestines, reducing inflammation in your colon, which will help the food you eat pass through your system more easily, and in turn, reduce the bloat and gas you experience,” says Kirkpatrick.

FENNEL SEEDS

Just like ginger, chewing on a small amount of this all-natural herb (half a teaspoon) has been a remedy for gas, bloating, and breath freshening in Eastern India for thousands of years. “The compounds anethole, fenchone, and estragole in fennel seeds have antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties that relax intestinal muscle and allow trapped gas to dissipate,” says Coleman. While you can certainly sip it in a cup of tea, fennel is a great ingredient in various dishes from dinner to dessert.

BANANAS

They’re one of the most low-maintenance eats around—and they also happen to contain some of the highest levels of potassium, a go-to nutrient for belly-flattening. “Potassium is the reason your bloat may go away with banana consumption, and this mineral also helps to regulate your body’s sodium intake,” says Kirkpartrick.

LEMONS AND LEMON JUICE

Yep, the old lemon water trick actually works. “The atomic composition of lemon juice is very comparable to our stomach’s digestive juice, as well as saliva and bile, so it actually helps relieve symptoms of indigestion such as bloating and belching,” says Coleman. “Many people with digestive issues are simply not yielding enough hydrochloric acid to properly digest everything they’re putting in their bodies, particularly animal proteins, dairy, gluten, and complex carbohydrates.” By drinking lemon juice on the reg, your helping your body move things along faster and more efficiently. Time to practice your sour face!

GARLIC

Bad breath might be worth it to beat bloat. “Eating garlic with other foods, especially those high in sodium, can cause bloating, but eating it alone will actually help relieve gas,” says Coleman. “Garlic soup is super easy to make and it helps deliver the garlic directly to your system in no time.” Simply mince up two to three cloves and sauté or roast them with olive oil on low heat. Add low-sodium vegetable broth and let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

MELONS

Don’t let their sweet and satisfying taste fool you—melons are nearly all water (90 percent!). “The high water content in melons (as well as watermelons and cucumbers) is equivalent to having water from a glass, thus increasing your body’s overall hydration levels and reducing bloating,” says Kirkpatrick. “They’re also natural diuretics, so they help you urinate excess water and salt from your body.” Fill up on a colorful mix of various melons to help prep and hydrate your bod for sunny beach days ahead.

[jesslcover]

[jesslcover]

[jesslcover]

How important is your posture?

Good Posture...just how important is it? Posture ranks right up at the top of the list when you are talking about good health. It is as important as eating right, exercising, getting a good night's sleep and avoiding potentially harmful substances like alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Good posture is a way of doing things with more energy, less stress and fatigue. Without good posture, you can't really be physically fit.

Surprised? Well, you're not alone. The importance of good posture in an overall fitness program is often overlooked by fitness advisers and fitness seekers alike. In fact, the benefits of good posture may be among the best kept secrets of the current fitness movement. The good news is that most everyone can avoid the problems caused by bad posture...and you can make improvements at any age.

Good Posture is Good Health We're a health conscious society today and good posture is a part of it. Because good posture means your bones are properly aligned and your muscles, joints and ligaments can work as nature intended. It means your vital organs are in the right position and can function at peak efficiency. Good posture helps contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous system.

Without good posture, your overall health and total efficiency may be compromised. Because the long-term effects of poor posture can affect bodily systems (such as digestion, elimination, breathing, muscles, joints and ligaments), a person who has poor posture may often be tired or unable to work efficiently or move properly.

Even for younger people, how you carry yourself when working, relaxing or playing can have big effects. Did you know that just fifteen minutes reading or typing when using the wrong positions exhausts the muscles of your neck, shoulders and upper back?

Poor Posture - How Does it Happen?    Often, poor posture develops because of accidents or falls. But bad posture can also develop from environmental factors or bad habits. This means that you have control.

Today, posture-related problems are increasing:

As we become a society that watches more television than any previous generation; As we become a more electronic society, with more and more people working at sedentary desk jobs or sitting in front of computer terminals; As more and more cars are crowding our roads, resulting in accidents and injuries; And as we drive in cars with poorly designed seats. In most cases, poor posture results from a combination of several factors, which can include:

1. Accidents, injuries and falls 2. Poor sleep support (mattress) 3. Excessive weight 4. Visual or emotional difficulties 5. Foot problems or improper shoes 6. Weak muscles, muscle imbalance 7. Careless sitting, standing, sleeping habits 8. Negative self image 9. Occupational stress 10. Poorly designed work space

Poor Posture & Pain A lifetime of poor posture can start a progression of symptoms in the average adult. It can start with...

Fatigue - your muscles have to work hard just to hold you up if you have poor posture. You waste energy just moving, leaving you without the extra energy you need to feel good.

Tight, achy muscles in the neck, back, arms and legs - by this stage, there may be a change in your muscles and ligaments and you may have a stiff, tight painful feeling. More than 80% of the neck and back problems are the result of tight, achy muscles brought on by years of bad posture.

Joint stiffness and pain - at risk for "wear and tear" arthritis, or what is termed degenerative osteoarthritis. Poor posture and limited mobility increase the likelihood of this condition in later years.

Self-Test for Posture Problems The Wall Test - Stand with the back of your head touching the wall and your heels six inches from the baseboard. With your buttocks touching the wall, check the distance with your hand between your lower back and the wall, and your neck and the wall. If you can get within an inch or two at the low back and two inches at the neck, you are close to having excellent posture. If not, your posture may need professional attention to restore the normal curves of your spine.

The Mirror Test (Front view) Stand facing a full length mirror and check to see if:

Your shoulders are level Your head is straight The spaces between your arms and sides seem equal Your hips are level, your kneecaps face straight ahead Your ankles are straight (Side View) This is much easier to do with the help of another, or by taking a photo. Check for the following:

Head is erect, not slumping forward or backwards Chin is parallel to the floor, not tilting up or down Shoulders are in line with ears, not drooping forward or pulled back Stomach is flat Knees are straight Lower back has a slightly forward curve (not too flat or not curved too much forward, creating a hollow back). The 'Jump' Test - Feel the muscles of your neck and shoulders. Do you find areas that are tender and sensitive? Are the buttock muscles sore when you apply pressure? What about the chest muscles?

Lifestyle Tips for Lifelong Good Posture

1. Keep your weight down - excess weight, especially around the middle, pulls on the back, weakening stomach muscles. Develop a regular program of exercise - regular exercise keeps you flexible and helps tone your muscles to support proper posture. 2. Buy good bedding - a firm mattress will support the spine and help maintain the same shape as a person with good upright posture. 3. Pay attention to injuries from bumps, falls and jars - injuries in youth may cause growth abnormalities or postural adaptations to the injury or pain that can show up later in life. 4. Have your eyes examined - a vision problem can affect the way you carry yourself as well as cause eyestrain. 5. Be conscious of where you work - is your chair high enough to fit your desk? Do you need a footrest to keep pressure off your legs? Straighten Up and Stay Healthy!

Kids, Parents and Posture Standing up straight is important for everyone, but at no time is it more crucial to develop the habits of good posture than in childhood. Many adults with chronic back pain can trace the problem to years of bad posture habits or injuries in childhood.

Because they are growing and more active, children may be at even more risk for injury to the back and spine. According to studies, there is a significantly high risk associated with football, trampolining and gymnastics. More than 1/3 of all high school football players sustain some type of injury. As a parent, seek professional help for children in the event of even a minor sports injury. Parents should also be aware that babies who are not strapped into an auto safety seat run the risk of injury and even death in the event of a quick stop or an accident.

Poor posture extracts a high price as you age because it can:

1. Limit your range of motion - muscles can be permanently shortened or stretched when a slumped over position becomes your normal position. Muscles and ligaments that have been shortened or stretched no longer function, as they should. 2. Increase discomfort and pain - it can often cause headaches and pain in the shoulders, arms, hands and around the eyes resulting from a forward-head position. Rounded shoulders can trigger the headaches at the base of your skull where the shoulder muscles attach. 3. Create pain in the jaw - a forward-head position can lead to jaw pain. This kind of pain (known as TMJ, temporomandibular joint disease) was once considered only a dental problem. Today we know that TMJ pain also may be caused or aggravated by faulty posture. 4. Decrease lung capacity - reducing the amount of oxygen in your body can decrease the space in your chest cavity, restricting efficient functioning of your lungs. 5. Cause low back pain - one of the most common consequences of bad posture. For people over 35, low back pain is often interpreted as a sure sign of age, although it may have been developing since childhood. 6. Cause nerve interference - your spine is the basis of posture. If your posture is bad, your spine can be misaligned. Spinal misalignments may cause interference in nerve function. 7. Affect proper bowel function - even this important bodily task may be affected by faulty posture. If you have a rounded shoulder, head-forward posture, it may affect your bowels. If your spine arches and sways forward, your intestines may sag and cause constipation. 8. Make you look older than you are - when you are slumped over, or hunched over, not standing straight, you can add years to your appearance. For women, the more rounded the shoulders, the more breasts may sag. Any woman, no matter what her age, can help reduce the sag in her breasts by nearly 50% by simply standing tall.

Improving your posture 

1. When standing - hold your head high, chin firmly forward, shoulders back, chest out, and stomach tucked in to increase your balance. If you stand all day in a job like a cashier or clerk, rest one foot on a stool or take breaks to get off your feet for a while.

2. When sitting - use a chair with firm low back support. Keep desk or table top elbow high, adjust the chair or use a footrest to keep pressure off the back of the legs, and keep your knees a little higher than your hips. Get up and stretch frequently--every hour if you sit for long periods of time. Do not sit on a fat wallet; it can cause hip imbalance!

3. When working on a computer - take a one or two minute task break every 20 minutes when you work at a computer screen. Keep the screen 15 degrees below eye level. Place reference materials on a copy stand even with and close to the terminal.

4. When sitting in the car - adjust the seat forward so your knees are higher than your hips. Put a small pillow or cushion in the small of your back.

5. When sleeping - sleep on your side with your knees bent and head supported by a pillow, to make your head level with your spine. Or, sleep on your back, avoiding thick pillows under your head. Use a small pillow under your neck instead. Don't sleep on your stomach.

6. When lifting - let your legs do the work in order to prevent injury to your low back. Stand close to the object, then where possible squat down and straddle it. Grasp the object, and slowly lift the load by straightening your legs as you stand up. Carry the object close to your body.

7. When bending - never twist from the waist and bend forward at the same time. To lift or reach something on the floor, bend the knees while keeping the back straight.

If you follow these practices, but still feel discomfort and pain related to specific activities, visit your Doctor of Chiropractic periodically for spinal checkups and for a postural evaluation for yourself and for your children.

[jesslcover]

How Posture affects your health!

Posture: Align yourself for good health

Proper body alignment not only helps prevent pain and injury, but also can boost your confidence and mood. Improving your posture will likely take some time and conscious effort, but the feel-good benefits are worth it.

Being told to "stand up straight" probably seemed like a rite of passage in your teenage years, but those nagging adults were onto something. Good posture supports good health.

Proper body alignment can help prevent excess strain on your joints, muscles and spine — alleviating pain and reducing the likelihood of injury. As a bonus, correct posture can boost your productivity and mood, as well as help you use your muscles more efficiently. Improving your posture will likely take some time and conscious effort, but the feel-good benefits are worth it.

So what does proper posture look like? Use the "wall test" to find out:

Stand so that the back of your head, your shoulder blades and your buttocks touch the wall, and your heels are 2 to 4 inches from the wall. Put a flat hand behind the small of your back. You should be able to just barely slide your hand between your lower back and the wall for a correct lower back curve. If there's too much space behind your lower back, draw your bellybutton toward your spine. This flattens the curve in your back and gently brings your lower back closer to the wall. If there's too little space behind your lower back, arch your back just enough so that your hand can slide behind you. Walk away from the wall while holding a proper posture. Then return to the wall to check whether you kept a correct posture. Unfortunately, ideal posture is often the exception rather than the rule. Poor posture can affect you head to toe, contributing to a number of problems.

Headache. Poor posture can strain the muscles at the back of your head, neck, upper back and jaw. This can put pressure on nearby nerves and trigger what are known as tension-type or muscle-spasm headaches. Back and neck pain. Pain and tightness or stiffness in the back and neck can be due to injury and other conditions such as arthritis, herniated disks and osteoporosis, but poor posture is a common contributor. Though rarely life-threatening, back and neck pain can be chronic and reduce your quality of life. Knee, hip and foot pain. Muscle weakness, tightness or imbalances, lack of flexibility, and poor alignment of your hips, knees and feet may prevent your kneecap (patella) from sliding smoothly over your femur. The ensuing friction can cause irritation and pain in the front of the knee, a condition known as patellofemoral pain. Poor foot and ankle alignment also can contribute to plantar fasciitis, a condition in which the thick band of tissue connecting your heel to the ball of your foot (plantar fascia) becomes inflamed and causes heel pain. Shoulder pain and impingement. Your rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that connect your upper arm to your shoulder. Muscle tightness, weakness or imbalances associated with poor posture can cause the tendons in your rotator cuff to become irritated and cause pain and weakness. A forward, hunched posture also can cause these tendons to become pinched (impinged). Eventually, this can lead to a tear in the rotator cuff tissue, a more serious injury that can cause significant pain and weakness and limit your ability to carry out daily activities. Jaw pain. A forward head posture may strain the muscles under your chin and cause your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) to become overworked. This may result in pain, fatigue and popping in your jaw, as well as difficulty opening your mouth, headaches and neck pain. Fatigue and breathing problems. Poor postural habits may restrict your rib cage and compress your diaphragm. This can reduce lung capacity, leading to shallow or labored breathing, fatigue and lack of energy, which can affect your overall productivity. Improving your posture can help prevent or reverse many of these conditions. You'll be amazed to see how your quality of life can improve — simply by standing a little taller.

Experiments

Try these tips for improving your posture while standing, sitting and lying in bed, with a focus on spinal mobility and breath work.

While walking, stand tall. Inhale, roll your shoulders up and back, then exhale and roll your shoulders down, as if you are gently tucking your shoulder blades into your back pockets. Try seated pelvic tilts. Sit on the edge of a chair, place your hands on your thighs and rest your feet on the floor. Inhale and rock your pelvis and ribs forward while you open your chest and look upward. Exhale, rock your pelvis and spine back and look down toward the floor. Do a wake-up or bedtime bridge pose. Lie on your back in bed with your knees bent and your feet resting on the mattress. Inhale, then slowly exhale and curl your tailbone to lift your buttocks and spine, one vertebra at a time, until your shoulder blades bear your weight. Pause and inhale, then slowly exhale as you roll your spine back down.

[jesslcover]

Avocados.. YES OR NO!?!

Most fruit consists primarily of carbohydrate, while avocado is high in healthy fats.

Numerous studies show that it has powerful beneficial effects on health.

Here are 12 health benefits of avocado, that are supported by scientific research.

1. Avocado is Incredibly Nutritious

What we refer to as “avocado” is the fruit of the avocado tree, called Persea americana (1).

This fruit is prized for its high nutrient value and is added to all sorts of dishes due to its good flavor and rich texture. It is the main ingredient in guacamole.

These days, the avocado has become an incredibly popular food among health conscious individuals. It is often referred to as a superfood… which is not surprising given its health properties (2).

There are many kinds of avocados, and the shape (from pear-shaped to round) and color (from green to black) can vary between them. They can also weigh anywhere from 8 ounces (220 grams) to 3 pounds (1.4 kg).

The most popular type is called Hass avocado.

This is what a typical avocado looks like:

Avocado Sliced in Half

It is often called “alligator pear,” which is very descriptive because it tends to be shaped like a pear and have green, bumpy skin… like an alligator.

The yellow-green flesh inside the fruit is eaten, but the skin and seed are discarded.

Avocados are very nutritious and contain a wide variety of nutrients, including 20 different vitamins and minerals.

Here are some of the most abundant nutrients, in a single 3.5 ounce (100 gram) serving (3):

Vitamin K: 26% of the RDA. Folate: 20% of the RDA. Vitamin C: 17% of the RDA. Potassium: 14% of the RDA. Vitamin B5: 14% of the RDA. Vitamin B6: 13% of the RDA. Vitamin E: 10% of the RDA. Then it contains small amounts of Magnesium, Manganese, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Phosphorous, Vitamin A, B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin) and B3 (Niacin). This is coming with 160 calories, 2 grams of protein and 15 grams of healthy fats. Although it contains 9 grams of carbs, 7 of those are fiber so there are only 2 “net” carbs, making this a low-carb friendly plant food.

Avocados do not contain any cholesterol or sodium, and are low in saturated fat. I personally don’t think that matters, but this is one of the reasons they are favored by many “old school” experts who still believe these things are inherently harmful.

Advertisement

Bottom Line: Avocado is a green, pear-shaped fruit often called an “alligator pear.” It is loaded with healthy fats, fiber and various important nutrients. 2. They Contain More Potassium Than Bananas

Avocado

Potassium is a nutrient that most people aren’t getting enough of (4).

This nutrient helps maintain electrical gradients in the body’s cells and serves various important functions.

Avocados are actually very high in potassium… with a 100 gram (3.5 ounce) serving containing 14% of the RDA, compared to 10% in bananas, which are a typical high potassium food (5).

Several studies show that having a high potassium intake is linked to reduced blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure (6).

Bottom Line: Potassium is an important mineral that most people don’t get enough of. Avocados are very high in potassium, which should support healthy blood pressure levels. 3. Avocado is Loaded With Heart-Healthy Monounsaturated Fatty Acids

Avocado Oil

Again, avocado is a high fat food.

In fact, 77% of the calories in it are from fat, making it one of the fattiest plant foods in existence.

But they don’t just contain any fat… the majority of the fat in avocado is oleic acid.

This is a monounsaturated fatty acid that is also the major component in olive oil and believed to be responsible for some of its beneficial effects.

Oleic acid has been linked to reduced inflammation and been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer (7, 8, 9, 10).

The fats in avocado are also pretty resistant to heat-induced oxidation, making avocado oil a healthy and safe choice for cooking.

Bottom Line: Avocados and avocado oil are high in monounsaturated oleic acid, a “heart healthy” fatty acid that is believed to be one of the main reasons for the health benefits of olive oil. 4. Avocados Are Loaded With Fiber

Smiling Young Woman, Holding an Avocado

Fiber is another nutrient found in relatively large amounts in avocado.

Fiber is indigestible plant matter that can contribute to weight loss, reduce blood sugar spikes and is strongly linked to a lower risk of many diseases (11, 12, 13).

A distinction is often made between soluble and insoluble fiber.

Soluble fiber is known to be able to feed the friendly gut bacteria in the intestine, which are very important for the optimal function of our bodies (14).

A 100 gram (3.5 ounce) serving of avocado contains 7 grams of fiber, which is 27% of the recommended daily amount.

About 25% of the fiber in avocado is soluble, while 75% is insoluble (15).

Advertisement

Bottom Line: Avocados tend to be high in fiber, about 7% by weight, which is very high compared to most other foods. Fiber can have various important benefits for weight loss and metabolic health. 5. Eating Avocados Can Lower Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels

Heart and Stethoscope

Heart disease is the most common cause of death in the world (16).

It is known that several blood markers are linked to an increased risk.

This includes cholesterol, triglycerides, inflammatory markers, blood pressure and various others.

The effects of avocado on some of these risk factors has been studied in 8 human controlled trials.

These are studies where people are split into groups… one group is instructed to eat avocados, while the other is not. Then researchers see what happens to their blood markers over time.

These studies have shown that avocados can (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23):

Reduce total cholesterol levels significantly. Reduce blood triglycerides by up to 20%. Lower LDL cholesterol by up to 22%. Increase HDL (the “good”) cholesterol by up to 11%. One of the studies showed that including avocado in a low-fat vegetarian diet led to improvements in the cholesterol profile (24).

Unfortunately, all of the human studies were small (13-37 subjects) and short-term (1-4 weeks), but the results were impressive nonetheless.

Bottom Line: Numerous studies have shown that eating avocado can improve heart disease risk factors like Total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, as well as blood triglycerides. 6. People Who Eat Avocados Tend to be Healthier

One study looked at the dietary habits and health of people who eat avocados.

They analyzed data from 17,567 participants in the NHANES survey in the U.S.

Woman Holding a Green Avocado

Avocado consumers were found to be much healthier than people who didn’t eat avocados.

They had a much higher nutrient intake and were half as likely to have metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms that are a major risk factor for heart disease and diabetes (25).

People who ate avocados regularly also weighed less, had a lower BMI and significantly less belly fat. They also had more HDL (the “good”) cholesterol.

However… correlation does not imply causation and there is no guarantee that the avocados caused these people to be in better health.

Therefore I don’t think this particular study carries much weight.

Bottom Line: One dietary survey found that people who ate avocados had a much higher nutrient intake and had a lower risk of metabolic syndrome. 7. The Fat in Them Can Help You Absorb Nutrients From Plant Foods

Brunette Eating Salad With a Fork

When it comes to nutrients, the total amount of them is not the only thing that matters.

We also need to be able to absorb them… move them from the digestive tract and into the body, where they can be used.

Some nutrients are “fat soluble,” meaning that they need to be combined with fat in order to be utilized.

This includes vitamins A, D, E and K… along with antioxidants like carotenoids.

One study showed that adding avocado or avocado oil to either salad or salsa can increase antioxidant absorption by 2.6 to 15-fold (26).

So… not only is avocado highly nutritious, it can dramatically increase the nutrient value of other plant foods that you are eating.

This is an excellent reason to always include a healthy fat source when you eat veggies. Without it, a lot of the beneficial plant nutrients will go to waste.

Bottom Line: Studies have shown that eating avocado or avocado oil with veggies can dramatically increase the amount of antioxidants you take in. 8. Avocados Are Loaded With Powerful Antioxidants That Can Protect The Eyes

Eye on White Background

Not only do avocados increase antioxidant absorption from other foods, they are also high in antioxidants themselves.

This includes nutrients called Lutein and Zeaxanthin, which are incredibly important for eye health (27, 28).

Studies show that these nutrients are linked to a drastically reduced risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, which are common in the elderly (29, 30).

Therefore, eating avocados should have benefits for eye health over the long term.

Bottom Line: Avocados are high in antioxidants, including Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These nutrients are very important for eye health and lower the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts. 9. Avocado May Help Prevent Cancer

Three Unripe Avocados

There is limited evidence that avocado may be beneficial in preventing cancer.

One study showed that it may help reduce side effects of chemotherapy in human lymphocytes (31).

Avocado extract has also been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells (32).

However, keep in mind that these studies were done in isolated cells and don’t really prove anything about what happens in a living, breathing human.

Bottom Line: Some studies in isolated cells have shown that nutrients in avocados may have benefits in preventing prostate cancer, and lowering side effects of chemotherapy in some cells. 10. Avocado Extract May Help Relieve Symptoms of Arthritis

Arthritis is a common problem in Western countries. There are many types of arthritis, and these are often chronic problems that people have for the rest of their lives.

Avocado on a Wooden Table

Multiple studies have shown that extracts from avocado and soybean oil, called Avocado and Soybean unsaponifiables, can reduce symptoms of arthritis of the bones, called osteoarthritis (33, 34).

Whether avocados themselves can have this effect, and not just the extract, remains to be seen.

Bottom Line: Studies have shown that an extract from avocado and soybean oils can significantly reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis. 11. Eating Avocado May Help You Lose Weight

Woman Holding a Scale And Measuring Tape

There is some evidence that avocados are a weight loss friendly food.

In one study, people were split into groups. One group was instructed to eat a meal that contained avocado, the other a similar meal without avocado.

Then they were asked a series of questions related to hunger and satiety.

The people eating the avocado felt 23% more satisfied and had a 28% lower desire to eat over the next 5 hours (35).

If this holds true in the long-term, then including avocados in your diet could help you naturally eat fewer calories and have an easier time sticking to a healthy diet.

Avocados are also high in fiber, and very low in carbs, two attributes that should also help promote weight loss, at least in the context of a healthy, real food based diet.

12. Avocado is Delicious and Easy to Incorporate in The Diet

Homemade Guacamole

Not only are avocados healthy, they’re also incredibly delicious and go with all sorts of foods.

You can add them to salads and various sorts of recipes, or you can simply scoop them out with a spoon and eat them plain.

They have a creamy, rich, fatty texture and blend well with various other ingredients.

A notable mention is guacamole, which is arguably the most famous use of avocados. It includes avocado along with ingredients like salt, garlic, lime and a few others depending on the recipe.

An avocado often takes some time to ripen and it should feel slightly soft when ripe. The nutrients in avocado can oxidize soon after fleshing it, but if you add lemon juice then that shouldn’t happen as quickly.

If you’re serious about adding avocado to your diet, then I highly recommend that you watch this video about how to pick, prepare and eat avocados.

At the end of the day, avocados are an awesome food. They’re loaded with nutrients, many of which are lacking in the modern diet.

They are weight loss friendly, heart healthy and… last but not least, taste incredible.

[jesslcover]

Will Quinoa(KeenWha) make you fat?

Quinoa alone will not make you gain weight. In fact, it offers several qualities that make it a good choice for a weight-loss diet. A serving of quinoa provides at least 10 percent of your daily value of nine vitamins and minerals. One cup has about the same calories as a bowl of breakfast cereal served with fat-free milk. Quinoa is low in fat and a good source of protein and fiber, which both have weight-loss benefits.

Calories in Quinoa

One cup of cooked quinoa contains 222 nutrient-dense calories. Its potential impact on your weight depends on whether you stay within -- or exceed -- your daily goal for total calories. If you’ve already consumed your maximum number of calories for the day but want a snack in the evening and you have a bowl of quinoa, then you’re adding 222 additional calories that contribute to weight gain. A good way to include quinoa in your diet is to mix it with veggies to make it a complete, one-dish meal. Carbohydrates for Sustained Energy

One cup of quinoa has 39 grams of total carbohydrates. The carbs in quinoa can help you avoid the diet pitfall of lagging energy when a person consumes a restricted number of calories. Most of quinoa's carbs consist of complex starches that provide sustained energy. These carbs support your basal metabolism, muscles and brain, while also providing the energy you need to get through your busy day. They also help you stick with a regular exercise routine. Carbs should account for at least 45 percent of your daily calories, according to the Institute of Medicine. Sponsored Links 4 "Health" Foods to Avoid Say goodbye to gas, bloating, brain fog and blemishes by avoiding these 4 foods silenceyourcravings.com Protein Promotes Fullness

Quinoa is special, because it’s one of the few plant-based foods that has complete protein. Protein is a good weight-loss tool because it prevents spikes in blood sugar, which trigger hunger, notes the Harvard School of Public Health. It also helps you feel full and your body uses more calories to digest protein than digesting carbs and fats. Protein also may stimulate the hormone that makes you feel full and satisfied, according to research published in the May 2013 issue of the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.” One cup of cooked quinoa contains 8 grams of protein, or 16 percent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recommended daily value of 50 grams, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your individual protein needs will vary. Fiber as a Weight-Loss Tool

As the soluble fiber in quinoa absorbs water, it fills up your stomach and makes you feel full. Then, it keeps the food in your stomach longer, so the feeling of satiety lasts for an extended time. Fiber may delay the release of the hormone ghrelin, according to a review published in the June 2012 issue of “Current Obesity Reports.” Since ghrelin makes you feel hungry, slowing down its release helps hold off your hunger a little longer. You’ll get 5 grams of fiber, or about 20 percent of the FDA's suggested daily value of 25 grams, from one cup of cooked quinoa.

[jesslcover]

Quinoa - Keen WHA!

Health Benefits

Overall Nutrient Richness

Perhaps the most striking health benefit provided by quinoa is its overall nutrient richness. When the nutrient composition of this food is analyzed in depth, the results are unusual and striking. While quinoa can be eaten in the same way as a grain, or ground into flour like is so commonly done with grains, it lacks some important nutritional shortcomings of grains.

One of the shortcomings overcome by quinoa involves its protein content. Most grains are considered to be inadequate as total protein sources because they lack adequate amounts of the amino acids lysine and isoleucine. The relatively low level of both lysine and isoleucine in the protein of grains is what causes these amino acids to be considered as the limiting amino acids (LAAs) in grains. In other words, these LAAs prevent grains from serving as complete protein sources in our diet. By contrast, quinoa has significantly greater amounts of both lysine and isoleucine (especially lysine), and these greater amounts of lysine and isoleucine allow the protein in quinoa to serve as a complete protein source.

In terms of fat content, quinoa once again overcomes some of the shortcomings of most grains. Since it takes nearly 350 calories' worth of whole wheat to provide 1 gram of fat, whole wheat is not generally regarded as a significant source of fat, including essential fatty acids or heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (like oleic acid). By contrast, since it only takes 63 calories' worth of quinoa to provide 1 gram of fat, quinoa is typically considered to be a valuable source of certain health-supportive fats. About 28% of quinoa's fatty acids come in the form of oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, and about 5% come in the form of alpha-linolenic acid or ALA—the omega-3 fatty acid most commonly found in plants and associated with decreased risk of inflammation-related disease.

Neither quinoa nor any grains qualify as good vitamin E sources in our WHFoods rating system. However, in the case of quinoa, or rating system does not do full justice to the fact that quinoa contains significant amounts of certain tocopherols (vitamin E family members) largely absent from most grains. For example, one cup of quinoa provides 2.2 milligrams of gamma-tocopherol—a form of vitamin E that has been more closely associated with certain anti-inflammatory benefits in health research. Quinoa is also a good source of RDA nutrients like folate, zinc, and phosphorus in contrast to whole wheat, which does not qualify as a good source in our rating system.

Quinoa is an equally impressive food in terms of its overall phytonutrient benefits. In many Central and South American countries, the leaves of the quinoa plant are valued for their betacyanin pigments, which provide some of their bright reddish shades. But even the seeds themselves can be phytonutrient-rich and can provide significant amounts of antioxidants like ferulic, coumaric, hydroxybenzoic, and vanillic acid.

The antioxidant flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol are also especially plentiful in quinoa. In fact, the concentration of these two flavonoids in quinoa can sometimes be greater than their concentration of high-flavonoid berries like cranberry or lingonberry.

Considered in combination, these diverse nutrient benefits of quinoa give it uniqueness among grain-related foods. For us, this high overall level of nourishment provided by quinoa may qualify as its greatest health benefit.

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Most of the quinoa studies that we've seen in this area have been animal studies. However, we believe that the preliminary indications for humans are very promising. Research has shown the ability of daily quinoa intake to lower levels of inflammation in fat (adipose) tissue in rats and in the linings of their intestine as well.

We're not surprised at either of these results because a wide range of anti-inflammatory nutrients is already known to be present in quinoa. This list of anti-inflammatory nutrients includes phenolic acids (including hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids), members of the vitamin E family like gamma-tocopherol, and cell wall polysaccharides like arabinans and rhamnogalacturonans.

Somewhat more controversial in this anti-inflammatory nutrient list are the saponins found in quinoa. Saponins are the bitter tasting, water-soluble phytonutrients found in the outer seed coat layer of quinoa. (More specifically, the saponins found in quinoa are derived from hederagenin, oleanic acid, phytolaccagenic acid, and serjanic acid.) The quinoa saponins have been shown to have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, soaking, boiling, and milling can reduce their presence, and, in general, this reduced presence is usually regarded as a good thing since it can make the quinoa much more enjoyable for most people to eat. In research to date, the relationship between and anti-inflammatory benefits of quinoa and saponin levels has yet to be clarified. However, even though more research is needed in this particular phytonutrient area, the list of anti-inflammatory nutrients in quinoa remains impressive.

Other Benefits

We have yet to see large-scale human studies on intake of quinoa and risk of type 2 diabetes or risk of cardiovascular disease. However, we would expect such studies to show significantly reduced risks. With respect to type 2 diabetes, quinoa simply has too many things in common with other foods known to decrease risk. At the top of the list here would be its fiber and protein content. Quinoa is a good source of fiber—one of the key macronutrients needed for health blood sugar regulation. It also provides outstanding protein quality, even in comparison to commonly-eaten whole grains. Strong intake of protein and fiber are two dietary essentials for regulation of blood sugar. Because chronic, unwanted inflammation is also a key risk factor for development of type 2 diabetes, the diverse range of anti-inflammatory nutrients found in quinoa also make it a great candidate for diabetes risk reduction.

Animal studies have already demonstrated the ability of quinoa to lower total cholesterol and help maintain levels of HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol). While we would expect these results in humans as well, we would also expect the anti-inflammatory nutrients in quinoa to help protect human blood vessels from inflammatory damage. Protection of this kind would also provide reduced risk of many cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis. We expect to see future, large-scale human studies demonstrating the benefits of quinoa for risk reduction in this area of cardiovascular disease.

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients in quinoa also make it a likely candidate for cancer risk reduction in humans. Given the preliminary animal results involving the digestive tract, risk reduction for colon cancer may turn out to be a special area of interest.

A final area of likely benefit involves decreased risk of allergy—especially for individuals who have adverse reactions to certain grains and seek practical alternatives. Already, several public organizations have recommended quinoa as a substitute for wheat whenever the avoidance of this gluten-containing grain is required. The low-allergy potential of quinoa—coupled with its relatively high digestibility—has also made it a food of special interest in the diet of children and toddlers.

Description

Because quinoa is typically consumed in the same way as the cereal grasses (wheat, oats, barley, and rye), we group it together with those foods on our website. However, quinoa is not a cereal grass at all, but rather a member of the same food family that contains spinach, Swiss chard, and beets. Many researchers refer to quinoa as a "pseudocereal." This term is typically used to describe foods that are not grasses but can still be easily ground into flour. The scientific name for quinoa is Chenopodium quinoa.

Researchers date the popularity of quinoa to approximately 3000 BC, when its consumption became widespread in the Andes mountains regions of South America. About 250 different varieties of quinoa were already present at that time, giving quinoa a remarkable tolerance for different growing conditions. Quinoa is able to survive high altitudes, thin and cold air, hot sun, salty or sandy soil, little rainfall, and sub-freezing temperatures. In addition, all parts of the plant could be eaten, including not only the seeds that we buy in the store and that may also have been dried and ground into flour, but also the leaves and stems. Betacyanin pigments presemt in some quinoa leaves given them their bright reddish color, but it's also possible to find orange, pink, purple, tan, and black quinoa as well. Quinoa leaves taste similar in flavor to the leaves of their fellow chenopods, namely, spinach, chard, and beets. Cooked quinoa seeds are fluffy and creamy, yet also slightly crunchy. They may also sometimes have an amazing translucent appearance. The flavor of the cooked seeds is delicate and somewhat nutty.

The word "quinoa" is pronounced "KEEN-wah." It comes from the Spanish word, quinua, which itself comes from the word "kinwa" or "kinua" in the Quechua dialect.

History

The history of quinoa is clearly rooted in South America, in the Andes region that is currently divided up between the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Along with maize, quinoa was one of the two mainstay foods for the Inca Empire that had its start around 1200 AD. As previously mentioned in the Description section, quinoa was a food that could survive in a wide variety of growing conditions. Along with its unusual nutrient richness, its adaptability helped it gain popularity among the Incas for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Most quinoa consumed in the United States still comes from South America. Peru remains the largest commercial producer of quinoa, harvesting 41,079 metric tons in 2010. Bolivia was the second largest producer with 29,500 metric tons. Together, these two South American countries produced nearly 99% of all commercially grown quinoa in 2010. In terms of export sales, quinoa has risen to the level of an $87 million dollar business in these two countries.

Some commercial quinoa production takes place in the United States, although total cultivation remains under 10,000 pounds. The Colorado Rockies have been a place of special interest for quinoa production, and some production has also occurred in the states of California, Washington, and Oregon.

Interest in quinoa has recently spread to India (including the North-India Plains and high-altitude areas of the Himalayas), other parts of Asia (including Japan), as well as to Africa and part of Europe. Designation of the year 2013 as "The International Year of the Quinoa" by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) may also trigger greater attention to this food worldwide.

How to Select and Store

Quinoa is generally available in prepackaged containers as well as bulk bins. Just as with any other food that you may purchase in the bulk section, make sure that the bins containing the quinoa are covered and that the store has a good product turnover so as to ensure its maximal freshness. Whether purchasing quinoa in bulk or in a packaged container, make sure that there is no evidence of moisture. When deciding upon the amount to purchase, remember that quinoa expands during the cooking process to several times its original size. If you cannot find it in your local supermarket, look for it at natural foods stores, which usually carry it.

The most common type of quinoa you will find in the store has an off-white color but red and black quinoa are becoming more available. You may even be able to find a tri-color mixture sold in packages or bulk bins.

Store quinoa in an airtight container. It will keep for a longer period of time, approximately three to six months, if stored in the refrigerator.

Tips for Preparing and Cooking

Tips for Preparing Quinoa

Processing methods used in the commercial milling of quinoa usually remove most of the saponins found in the outer coat of the quinoa seeds. Because the quinoa saponins are largely responsible for its bitter taste, many people chose to rinse and rub the seeds after purchase to remove any bitter taste that may remain in the seeds. An effective method to do so is to place the quinoa seeds in a fine-meshed strainer and run cold water over the quinoa while gently rubbing the seeds together in your hands. After completing this process, you can taste a few seeds to determine if a bitter taste remains. If it does, simply continue this rinsing and rubbing process until you no longer taste a bitter residue.

The Healthiest Way of Cooking Quinoa

To cook the quinoa, add one part of the grain to two parts liquid in a saucepan. After the mixture is brought to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cover. One cup of quinoa cooked in this method usually takes 15 minutes to prepare. When cooking is complete, you will notice that the grains have become translucent, and the white germ has partially detached itself, appearing like a white-spiraled tail. If you desire the quinoa to have a nuttier flavor, you can dry roast it before cooking; to dry roast, place it in a skillet over medium-low heat and stir constantly for five minutes.

Quinoa is a perfect food to include on a gluten-free diet, since it not only lacks gluten but doesn't even belong to the same plant family as wheat, oats, barley, or rye. Some studies also show quinoa flour to have higher-than-expected digestibility. Both of these factors would be expected to decrease the risk of an adverse reaction to quinoa—especially in comparison to a cereal grass like wheat. While it is possible to make baked goods and pastas out of 100% quinoa flour, most companies combine quinoa flour with other flours (like tapioca flour or rice flour) or with oatmeal to produce a lighter texture. (Products made with 100% quinoa flour typically have a heavy and dense texture, sometimes referred to as "truffle-like.") When combined with rice flour or tapioca flour, however, quinoa-based products definitely qualify as gluten-free and should help reduce risk of adverse reactions.

How to Enjoy

Combine cooked chilled quinoa with pinto beans, pumpkin seeds, scallions and coriander. Season to taste and enjoy this south-of-the-border inspired salad. Add nuts and fruits to cooked quinoa and serve as breakfast porridge. For a twist on your favorite pasta recipe, use noodles made from quinoa. Sprouted quinoa can be used in salads and sandwiches just like alfalfa sprouts. Add quinoa to your favorite vegetable soups. Ground quinoa flour can be added to cookie or muffin recipes. Quinoa is great to use in tabouli, serving as a delicious (and wheat-free) substitute for the bulgar wheat with which this Middle Eastern dish is usually made. For some of our favorite recipes, click Recipes.

Individual Concerns

Quinoa is not a commonly allergenic food. Because quinoa does not belong to the plant family containing wheat, oats, barley, and rye, it is also a gluten-free food. Some studies also show a higher-than-expected digestibility for quinoa, making it a food less likely to produce adverse reactions.

Nutritional Profile

Quinoa is food of high protein quality and is typically regarded as an adequate source of all essential amino acids, including lysine and isoleucine. It provides a variety of antioxidant phytonutrients, including ferulic, coumaric, hydroxybenzoic, and vanillic acid. Antioxidant flavonoids including quercetin and kaempferol are also especially plentiful in quinoa. Anti-inflammatory polysaccharides in quinoa include arabinans and rhamnogalacturonans. Many members of the vitamin E tocopherol family are provided by quinoa, including important amounts of gamma-tocopherol. Quinoa is a very good source of manganese. It is also a good source of phosphorus, copper, magnesium, dietary fiber, folate and zinc.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling." Read more background information and details of our rating system. Quinoa, cooked 0.75 cup 185.00 gramsCalories: 222 GI: low Nutrient Amount DRI/DV (%) Nutrient Density World's Healthiest Foods Rating manganese 1.17 mg 59 4.7 very good phosphorus 281.20 mg 40 3.3 good copper 0.36 mg 40 3.2 good magnesium 118.40 mg 30 2.4 good fiber 5.18 g 21 1.7 good folate 77.70 mcg 19 1.6 good zinc 2.02 mg 18 1.5 good World's Healthiest Foods Rating Rule excellent DRI/DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DRI/DV>=10% very good DRI/DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DRI/DV>=5% good DRI/DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DRI/DV>=2.5% In-Depth Nutritional Profile

In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, here is an in-depth nutritional profile for Quinoa. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more. Quinoa, cooked (Note: "--" indicates data unavailable) 0.75 cup (185.00 g) GI: low BASIC MACRONUTRIENTS AND CALORIES nutrient amount DRI/DV (%) Protein 8.14 g 16 Carbohydrates 39.40 g 18 Fat - total 3.55 g -- Dietary Fiber 5.18 g 21 Calories 222.00 12 MACRONUTRIENT AND CALORIE DETAIL nutrient amount DRI/DV (%) Carbohydrate: Starch 32.62 g Total Sugars 1.61 g Monosaccharides -- g Fructose -- g Glucose -- g Galactose -- g Disaccharides -- g Lactose -- g Maltose -- g Sucrose -- g Soluble Fiber -- g Insoluble Fiber -- g Other Carbohydrates 32.62 g Fat: Monounsaturated Fat 0.98 g Polyunsaturated Fat 1.99 g Saturated Fat 0.43 g Trans Fat -- g Calories from Fat 31.97 Calories from Saturated Fat 3.85 Calories from Trans Fat -- Cholesterol 0.00 mg Water 132.48 g MICRONUTRIENTS nutrient amount DRI/DV (%) Vitamins Water-Soluble Vitamins B-Complex Vitamins Vitamin B1 0.20 mg 17 Vitamin B2 0.20 mg 15 Vitamin B3 0.76 mg 5 Vitamin B3 (Niacin Equivalents) 2.37 mg Vitamin B6 0.23 mg 14 Vitamin B12 0.00 mcg 0 Biotin -- mcg -- Choline 42.55 mg 10 Folate 77.70 mcg 19 Folate (DFE) 77.70 mcg Folate (food) 77.70 mcg Pantothenic Acid 0.50 mg 10 Vitamin C 0.00 mg 0 Fat-Soluble Vitamins Vitamin A (Retinoids and Carotenoids) Vitamin A International Units (IU) 9.25 IU Vitamin A mcg Retinol Activity Equivalents (RAE) 0.46 mcg (RAE) 0 Vitamin A mcg Retinol Equivalents (RE) 0.92 mcg (RE) Retinol mcg Retinol Equivalents (RE) 0.00 mcg (RE) Carotenoid mcg Retinol Equivalents (RE) 0.92 mcg (RE) Alpha-Carotene 0.00 mcg Beta-Carotene 5.55 mcg Beta-Carotene Equivalents 5.55 mcg Cryptoxanthin 0.00 mcg Lutein and Zeaxanthin 98.05 mcg Lycopene 0.00 mcg Vitamin D Vitamin D International Units (IU) 0.00 IU 0 Vitamin D mcg 0.00 mcg Vitamin E Vitamin E mg Alpha-Tocopherol Equivalents (ATE) 1.17 mg (ATE) 8 Vitamin E International Units (IU) 1.74 IU Vitamin E mg 1.17 mg Vitamin K 0.00 mcg 0 Minerals nutrient amount DRI/DV (%) Boron -- mcg Calcium 31.45 mg 3 Chloride -- mg Chromium -- mcg -- Copper 0.36 mg 40 Fluoride -- mg -- Iodine -- mcg -- Iron 2.76 mg 15 Magnesium 118.40 mg 30 Manganese 1.17 mg 59 Molybdenum -- mcg -- Phosphorus 281.20 mg 40 Potassium 318.20 mg 9 Selenium 5.18 mcg 9 Sodium 12.95 mg 1 Zinc 2.02 mg 18 INDIVIDUAL FATTY ACIDS nutrient amount DRI/DV (%) Omega-3 Fatty Acids 0.18 g 8 Omega-6 Fatty Acids 1.81 g Monounsaturated Fats 14:1 Myristoleic -- g 15:1 Pentadecenoic -- g 16:1 Palmitol -- g 17:1 Heptadecenoic -- g 18:1 Oleic 0.86 g 20:1 Eicosenoic 0.06 g 22:1 Erucic 0.05 g 24:1 Nervonic -- g Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids 18:2 Linoleic 1.80 g 18:2 Conjugated Linoleic (CLA) -- g 18:3 Linolenic 0.16 g 18:4 Stearidonic -- g 20:3 Eicosatrienoic -- g 20:4 Arachidonic 0.01 g 20:5 Eicosapentaenoic (EPA) -- g 22:5 Docosapentaenoic (DPA) -- g 22:6 Docosahexaenoic (DHA) 0.03 g Saturated Fatty Acids 4:0 Butyric -- g 6:0 Caproic -- g 8:0 Caprylic -- g 10:0 Capric -- g 12:0 Lauric -- g 14:0 Myristic -- g 15:0 Pentadecanoic -- g 16:0 Palmitic 0.36 g 17:0 Margaric -- g 18:0 Stearic 0.02 g 20:0 Arachidic -- g 22:0 Behenate -- g 24:0 Lignoceric -- g INDIVIDUAL AMINO ACIDS nutrient amount DRI/DV (%) Alanine 0.34 g Arginine 0.63 g Aspartic Acid 0.65 g Cysteine 0.12 g Glutamic Acid 1.07 g Glycine 0.40 g Histidine 0.23 g Isoleucine 0.29 g Leucine 0.48 g Lysine 0.44 g Methionine 0.18 g Phenylalanine 0.34 g Proline 0.44 g Serine 0.33 g Threonine 0.24 g Tryptophan 0.10 g Tyrosine 0.15 g Valine 0.34 g OTHER COMPONENTS nutrient amount DRI/DV (%) Ash 1.41 g Organic Acids (Total) -- g Acetic Acid -- g Citric Acid -- g Lactic Acid -- g Malic Acid -- g Taurine -- g Sugar Alcohols (Total) -- g Glycerol -- g Inositol -- g Mannitol -- g Sorbitol -- g Xylitol -- g Artificial Sweeteners (Total) -- mg Aspartame -- mg Saccharin -- mg Alcohol 0.00 g Caffeine 0.00 mg