Tag Archives: health

Super Healthy Tropical Smoothie

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IT’S GONNA BE GOOD! 

 If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you!

HEALTHY FAST FOOD — CHIPOTLE mexican grill

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For a smart fast food solution choose
CHIPOTLE
MEXICAN GRILL
GOOD * FAST * HEALTHY * PERFECT

CHIPOTLE is on a mission to change the way we eat fast food!

They focus on
FOOD WITH INTEGRITY
  • They support family farmers who respect and care for their land and animals
  • They use meat from animals who have been raised without the use of antibiotics and added hormones
  • Their dairy has come from dairy cows raised without synthetic hormones
  • They serve organic and local produce when possible

AND……. 
IT IS REALLY YUMMY!

EAT SMART!

Fitness Vacation :: St. Augustine – History & Attractions

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About St Augustine…

Its the Nations Oldest City!

St. Augustine is the nations oldest, permanently occupied European settlement.  

It was founded by the Spanish in 1565.  

ATTRACTIONS IN ST AUGUSTINE:

                       St. Ausustine Lighthouse and Museum 


These are just a few of the historical, 
unique sites to see in St. Augustine!

HUMMUS and BELL PEPPERS

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Cut up some peppers and grab some hummus.
PERFECT.SUMMER.SNACK
source

By choosing COLORFUL, SWEET BELL PEPPERS
instead of chips, you will…
  • Lower your risk of cancer!
  • Improve your immune system!
  • Fight against vision loss!
  • Protect against cardiovascular disease!
  • Help keep fluids & minerals in balance!
  • Enhance muscle function!
  • Help regulate your digestion!

I LOVE chips, but when I look at it this way, I have NO problem putting down the bag and grabbing the veggies!

HUMMUS
No cholesterol or saturated fats!
Rich in protein!
A great source of calcuim!

KEEP CALM AND PRAY

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This morning I was reading the book of Proverbs in the bible 
and something stuck out that I want to share.  

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

I have seen God be faithful to this promise in my life many times.  
In the area of health and fitness, for instance, we can get extremely confused on what we should do.   What is the best “diet”?  What is the best exercise program?  What food brands are best?  The answers contradict each other.  Who do I listen to?  Every new fad claims to be the answer.  Every topic seems to be debatable. 
It is confusing and overwhelming!  
Not only do I search to find the right way to keep me and my family healthy, but I am responsible to you as a health and fitness trainer!  It is a HUGE responsibility that I don’t take lightly.  I don’t want to be pulled in by the latest trends,  I just want to give the best advise and true information.  
This responsibility is bigger than me.
The GOOD NEWS is that I have a God who cares about even the smallest things in my life… and yours! 
  • Invite Him into your meal planning. 
  • Invite Him into your grocery shopping. 
  • Invite Him into your cooking. 
  • Invite Him into your workouts.  
  • Invite Him into your muscle repair after your workout.  
  • Invite Him into your energy.  
  • Invite Him into your metabolism!!!  
  • Invite Him into every part of your life! 

 

HE WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO!
I hope you have a great, healthy, energetic day!
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BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL

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Coconut Oil has been described as the “Healthiest Oil On Earth” 

It is rich in
FIBER, VITAMINS, AND MINERALS!
Here are some health benefits:
  • hair care
  • skin care
  • stress relief
  • maintaining cholesterol levels
  • weight loss
  • increased immunity
  • proper digestion & metabolism
  • relief from kidney problems
  • heart diseases
  • high blood pressure
  • diabetes
  • cancer
  • dental care
  • bone strength 

Check out The Coconut Research Center for a list of various references on scientific research done on coconut oil.



This is what Dr. Oz has to say about the 
amazing benefits of coconut oil:

 

Diabetes This is one fat that diabetics can eat without fear. Not only does it not contribute to diabetes, but it helps regulate blood sugar, thus lessening the effects of the disease. Island people have consumed large amounts of coconut oil for many generations without ever encountering diabetes, but when they abandoned it for other foods and oils, the results were disastrous.

Weight Loss The connection between coconut oil and weight loss is interesting. Farmers in America discovered this early last century when they tried to fatten their cattle by feeding them coconut oil. Instead of gaining weight, their cattle lost weight! So again, this is not news. Do a simple Internet search such as “benefits of coconut oil” and you will get plenty of details.

Bone and Dental Health Coconut oil improves calcium and magnesium absorption in the body, which in turn is greatly beneficial to dental and bone health. The improved calcium absorption created by coconut oil use ceases tooth decay and aids in the development of strong teeth. The combined increased calcium and magnesium absorption are of great benefit to middle-aged women who may become afflicted with osteoporosis.

Coconut Oil: A Good Saturated Fat? You may ask, isn’t coconut oil a saturated fat? And aren’t saturated fats harmful? Yes, coconut oil consists of 90% saturated fats. But whether or not saturated fats are harmful depends on who you ask. Among mainstream nutritionists, the idea that saturated fats cause heart disease is an “absolute truth” that is never questioned. Those who question this belief, however, point out that mankind has been consuming mainly saturated fats – in the form of butter, lard, coconut oil, etc – for thousands of years, yet heart disease was rare before the 1920s. If anything, the rise of heart disease in recent decades may correspond to the increasing use of polyunsaturated vegetable oils like corn, safflower and canola, as well as margarine.


the BEST PLACE to buy COCONUT OIL is TROPICAL TRADITIONS!

Read more about 
HANDCRAFTED VIRGIN COCONUT OIL 
and
 MASSED PRODUCED MACHINE MADE COCONUT OIL here.

People are using Coconut Oil for…

Check this out for recipes and tutorials!
Check this out to learn more about the different types of Coconut Oils.

Consult you doctor before you try coconut oil for medical purposes.

 

PRE & POST WORKOUT NUTRITION

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 We work hard during our workout sessions, but this is only the beginning of the process in reaching our goals.  Our body works around the clock – especially while we sleep – building and repairing muscle after a workout.  I want to make sure we take FULL advantage of our workouts by feeding our body appropriate pre- and post workout foods!  Eating smart before and after the workout can give the body what it needs to burn fat, gain muscle and recover to its full potential!  
 
PRE-WORKOUT FOODS…
You want to grab a snack 30-60 minutes before your workout to provide your body with energy it needs to push through and sustain your workout.  
Here are some of my favorite pre-workout snacks from a list that Greatist.com published:
 
  • Dressed Up Oats  Load up on carbohydrates for a longer workout with ½ cup cooked steel-cut oats topped with 1 tablespoon dried fruit and 1 tablespoon shaved almonds.
  • Yoberries A-Go-Go For the perfect blend of carbs and protein, try 1 cup non-fat vanilla bean Greek yogurt — which often packs more protein and probiotics than regular plain yogurt — with ½ cup fresh blueberries.
  • PB Apple  For a quick carb fuel-up, slice 1 medium apple and serve with 2 tablespoons all-natural peanut or almond butter.
  • Fruit and Cottage  Top ½ cup cottage cheese — a low calorie and higher protein option — with ½ cup fresh pineapple, berries, or melon. 
  • Pre-Workout Drink  Muscle Fuel – because sometime it need to be THAT easy!
POST-WORKOUT FOODS
 After a hard workout, our muscles are hungry and we NEED to feed them right to keep our metabolism rocking.  Eat within 1 hour of your workout.  
These are post-workout snacks that I eat and love:
  • Chocolate Almond Shake 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein –  Muscle Gain Protein  – 1/2 a banana, 1 TBSP almond butter, and 1 cup of almond milk
  • Ants On A Log Spread a heap of natural peanut/almond butter over celery and top with raisins. 
  • Black Bean Omelet Four eggs whites, 1 ounce low-fat cheese, and ¼ cup canned black beans — then spice it up with a savory salsa.
  • Green Monster Smoothie Blend 4 cups spinach, ½ cup vanilla bean yogurt, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter with ice — Claudine Morgan via Iowa Girl Eats.
  • Cottage Cheese Crunch One cup fat-free cottage cheese, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ cup whole-grain cereal, and a dash of cinnamon does a body good.
  • Pita and Hummus One 7-inch pita with two spoonfuls of  hummus adds a little pep back to your step with quick digesting carbs.
  • Egg Scramble Veg out after a hard training session with 2-3 whole eggs scrambled with a handful of chopped onion, spinach, and bell peppers.
  • Protein Bar  Sometimes you need something to grab and go!
  • Post-Workout Recovery Drink –
  1. Helps minimize muscle soreness after strenuous activity
  2. Supplies essential components for muscle repair to optimize muscle recovery
  3. Helps maintain and restore energy supplies during and after physical activity
  4. Contains branched-chain amino acids to support muscle recovery, growth and endurance.
 
If you have any Pre-or Post-Workout Snacks that you eat… PLEASE SHARE in the comments! 

Anti-Aging:: 8 Pomegranate Juice

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POMEGRANATE JUICE!

Studies suggest  that long-term consumption

of pomegranate juice may::

It contains more

ANTIOXIDANTS than other juices!

To get the health benefit,

drink 4-8 oz a day.

WARNING…
Pomegranate juice has 30 grams of SUGAR – more than an equal size serving of some soft drinks – do DON’T over do it!  4-8 oz is all that you need!!!

Anti-Aging: 7 BEANS

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…BEANS…

FACT :: There are aproximatly 13,000 species of beans and legumes in the world!  Now that’s variety!

Diets rich in beans are being used to:

  • reduce risk of many cancers

  • improve diabetics’ blood glucose control

  • lower blood pressure

  • regulate  colon function

  • lower cholesterol levels

  • prevent and cure constipation

 Richly colored dried BEANS offer a lot of antioxidant protection!  Red kidney beans actually have more antioxidants than blueberries!

Beans are loaded with

FIBER and PROTEIN


Brown Rice and Black Bean Burritos Rachael Ray

Ingredients
  • 2 cups chicken stock or water
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, diced
  • 2 14-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 large, whole wheat tortillas
  • 1 cup of smoked white cheddar
  • 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
  • 4 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 bunch (about a handful) of cilantro leaves removed from stems
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • A few dashes hot sauce
  • 1 jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

Preparation

Place a medium pot over medium-high heat with the stock or water and brown rice. Season with salt and pepper, and bring up to a bubble. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, about 25 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.
While rice is cooking, place another pot over medium heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, onion, garlic, jalapeño, salt and ground black pepper. Cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in cumin and cook about 1 minute then add tomatoes and beans, and heat through, about 2 minutes. Keep warm until the rice is ready.
Just before the rice and beans are ready, place a dry skillet over medium heat. Warm the tortillas in the pan until hot and lightly blistered. Transfer finished tortillas to a plate and cover them in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm.
When everything is ready, lay down the tortillas and divide the cheese evenly between them. Divide the rice and beans between the tortillas as well as the lettuce, tomatoes, scallions and cilantro. Roll up each burrito.


The Ultimate Chili Allrecipes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans
  • 3 (14.5 ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup red wine

 Directions

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until evenly browned. Drain off grease, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  2. In a slow cooker, combine the cooked beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, celery, red bell pepper, and red wine vinegar. Season with chili powder, cumin, parsley, basil and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to distribute ingredients evenly.
  3. Cook on High for 6 hours, or on Low for 8 hours. Pour in the wine during the last 2 hours.