What is the Acai Berry?

Have you been wondering what the Acai Berry is? What benifits it has? & If you should start adding them to your diet? Like me you have probably seen them being added to all kinds of products in your grocery store. I found this article that gives an overview of what that acai berry is and what benifits it holds.



From SlashFood.com:
What IS the Acai Berry, Anyway?

Perhaps you've noticed that the acai berry is suddenly everywhere -- as a juice, lurking in your tea, and hawked alongside your Facebook profile as weight-loss supplement. Who had even heard of this fruit ten years ago? And what is it, anyway?

Turns out the acai berry is a product of the acai palm tree, native to Central and South America and a close relative of the blueberry, cranberry, and other dark reddish/purplish fruits. As with those fruits, the acai berry is rich in anthocyanins and flavonoids -- both strong antioxidants that help your body fight against free radical damage, which is essentially what occurs on a cellular level when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. The theory goes that free radical damage can contribute to everything from minor complaints, like wrinkles, all the way up to major ones, like heart disease and cancer. And in the case of acai berries in particular, there's been a lot of hype around weight loss, resulting in numerous acai supplementation products hitting the market.

So, if acai berries have a lot of antioxidants, and antioxidants can potentially protect us from a variety of ills, then no wonder these little purple fruits have landed on superfood lists, right? The jury's still out, though, on whether a diet rich in acai berries will actually lead to real health benefits. Despite the fact that Oprah herself helped fuel the craze for acai, Dr. Mehmet Oz told ABC News that while the berries are indeed wonderful, they're "not better," necessarily, than any other powerful antioxidant. And while pricey, exotic acai berries are now included in the good doctor's "anti-aging checklist," the plain-old, supermarket-variety blueberry is on that list, too.


The take-home: If you like acai berries, there's certainly no harm in adding them to your diet, and possibly some benefit. But the hype is not yet backed up by scientific research, so buyer beware.

Read more: http://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/04/what-is-the-acai-berry-anyway/?icid=main|main|dl3|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slashfood.com%2F2010%2F06%2F04%2Fwhat-is-the-acai-berry-anyway%2F#ixzz0q6ip8Tjw
&
http://www.piercemattiepublicrelations.com/fitnessdivision/2009/02/fitness_trends_the_craze_over.html

Healthy Tips

Food and exercise are what we need to help maintain our energy levels throughout the day. You should strive to workout three times a week and balance it with the right combination of foods. It also helps to avoid the mid day sump!

Healthy Lifestyle Tip:
To help ensure the lunch your eating is giving you super energy, instead of weighing you down, there are three tips you should follow.

1. Quality Carbohydrates: You should build your meal out of complex carbohydrates; the kind that are digested slowly to give you a longer, steadier stream of energy. Just about any high-fiber carbohydrate will do, like beans, brown rice, whole-grain bread, quinoa, and even vegetables like Brussels sprouts and eggplant.


2. Healthy Fat: Our bodies need some healthy fat to help them absorb all the goodness of certain fat-soluble nutrients in our meals (such as vitamins A, D and E). Fats also help you to feel fuller for longer!
TIP: You can top soups and salads with chopped walnuts or drizzle some olive oil on your whole-wheat pasta. Sandwich eaters can replace mayonnaise with a few slices of avocado.


3. Lean Protein: Making your meal "mostly veggie" and adding some lean protein to give you more lasting power. Skinless chicken, lean meats, fish, tofu, eggs and beans are all excellent sources of protein.



HEALTHY TIP:
By not skimping on the necessities of balanced nutrition, sleep and exercise you can get the most out of your day.

Stressing!!

So I was just in a meeting and my boss decided since we have a lot more to go over that he will order pizza and we will work through lunch and eat during the meeting!!

Now I have food with me.. I was planning on having my protein shake for lunch. I still plan to do that and I hope it holds me over but I know I am going to be so tempted with all that Delicious pizza aroma lofting through the air. I hope I can hold strong or at least just allow myself only one piece..

Ahhhhh I hate when things like this happen, that wasn't in my plan!! I planned my day out and I was saving points because I'm going out to the movies and dinner with my friend tonight!!

TAKE A VACATION!

Just wanted to share a quick little article I came across on Jillian Michael's website. She is known as America's Toughest Trainer on "The Biggest Loser". I have heard this many times before, taking a break and getting back in touch with yourself, even if its just taking a personal day can do wonders to your health.

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michael's:
Ah, vacation...that precious time away from the hectic pace of life and the stress of work. Have you taken a vacation lately? If not, why not?! With all the travel deals available these days, you can put together a pretty amazing trip on the cheap. And if you don't have a lot of extra cash right now, there's always the good old "staycation," in which you can just relax at home. If you're the type who feels guilty taking days off, let me tell you — taking your vacation time is important to your health!

Sadly, overtime has become the norm in the American workplace. While the overtime might get you a promotion, research shows it definitely doesn't help your peace of mind. Researchers have found higher rates of anxiety and depression in men and women who work overtime, compared with people who work 40 hours a week or less.

Even if you aren't working overtime, chances are you're working too much. It's estimated that one out of every three workers doesn't take his or her allocated vacation time. Your bosses may appreciate all that hard work (at least, they'd better!), but your heart certainly doesn't. One study suggested that an annual vacation was a lifesaver for middle-aged men at risk of coronary heart disease. At-risk men who got away once a year were 32 percent less likely to die from heart disease than were those who never took a vacation. Another study found that when compared with women who vacationed twice a year or more, women who seldom took vacations — once every six years — were eight times as likely to develop coronary heart disease. Don't make yourself a sitting duck for a heart attack. You earned that vacation — take it!

Going Bananas

I never used to be a big Banana fan, but when I started on my new healthy way of living I started to incorporate them more into my diet. Seeing as though I am picky and don't eat much variety, I started having a mid morning banana everyday at my desk in between breakfast and lunch. I like to munch on healthy snacks through out the day so I am never really HUNGRYYYY. I just finished my mid morning banana and got to thinking, what benefits do bananas have? Aside from being available all year round, what health benifits do they have? So I decided to do a little research and share it with you.

-Like many fruits and vegetables, bananas contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol.
-Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 and they are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium. (Lack of B6 in a diet can cause weakness, irritability and insomnia)
-The potassium found in bananas can help to regulate blood pressure and may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
-Potassium is also essential for helping muscles to contract properly during exercise and reduces cramping up.
-A medium-sized banana provides 400 mg of potassium -11% of daily value- and contains 110 calories and 4 grams of fiber.
-Bananas also lots of carbohydrates which are the body's main source of energy. They are also easy to digest.
-Because of their great taste, they can also serve as a substitute for sweets and satisfy sugar cravings.
-Research has shown that serotonin and nor epinephrine in bananas may naturally help sufferers overcome depression. They are the good mood food.
-The Convenience and nutritional value of bananas make them a good post-exercise snack. During long exercises your body loses vitamins and minerals and a banana replaces these nutrients as well as giving you the energy you need.
-Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body's hemoglobin function and helps fight anemia...

And there is even more, but I think we all get the point. Besides being a great convenient sweet snack Bananas are nutritionally a great pick. & If you choose to snack on a banana your one step closer to getting in all your daily fruits and vegetables!!

Cravings

Why is it that every night when I am lying in bed watching TV getting ready to fall asleep I start to have incredible cravings for anything sweet, chocolatly or with carbs. I was good ALL day & had a well balanced dinner and even a small dessert. (I even ate later than usual) Now I feel like I haven't eaten in hours and am ready to raid my kitchen!! Ahhhh What do you do to help curb late night cravings??

Tuesday's Tip!

I love sharing tips and tricks or any good info I learn along my journey to being healthy. Today I came across a little tip about my favorite guilt free snack, Fruit!
Q: Which Fruit Has the Longest Shelf Life?
A: Apples!
Apples will last a week and a half or longer after you buy them! That can be up to 10 days longer than soft fruits like strawberries.
TIP: Never store apples and bananas in the same bowl, the apples will ripen much quicker. It is better to store apples in the fridge when you bring them home to keep them fresher longer.
Apples are a great snack to carry with you on the go too! I throw one in my lunch bag just in case I need a quick snack. They are also durable and easily transported without needing refrigeration. Apples are a great night time snack, I slice them up and eat them while I watch TV, sometimes with a little peanut butter. (I heard if you sprinkle Cinnamon on apple slices it delicious, I will have to try it and let you know) I also like to have an apple at night when I start feigning for something to eat even though I had dinner, desert, and maybe already a snack. I hate to eat late at night but I know if I don't have something I will raid my pantry, that's when the apple saves me from ruining all the good choices I made that day.

Memorial Day Treat!

I did fairly well this Memorial Day. Knowing I would be tempted to splurge I decided to go into it a little more prepared by bringing a desert I knew wasn't bad for me to eat. It also allowed me to know how many WW points I was consuming. I made my now famous WW chocolate pudding pie. It's a recipe I found in a Weight Watchers magazine years ago and added to my recipe book. Being a picky eater I am even more picky when it comes to desert. I don't like "diet food" or deserts and sweets that taste like "diet food".

This is a great little recipe that's quick and easy. It incorporates low fat and sugar free ingredients but you would never know it. Case and point I serve it all the time at family gatherings and there are no leftovers. Just as I did yesterday at our Memorial Day barbecue and everyone loved it. The trick is though not to tell people its a WW desert or they assume it tastes bad without even trying. My boyfriend loves it and he doesn't ever opt for a "lite" "diet" or "fat free" option of anything. The recipe is easy pudding, cool whip & ready made pie crust. I added some colored sugar on top to get in the festive spirit. It is a great sweet treat especially in the summer.

5-Minute Double Layer Chocolate Pie

- 1 Ready crust reduced fat graham cracker pie crust (6oz)

- 2 Pkgs (4 serving size) sugar free, fat-free chocolate flavor instant pudding mix

- 1 1/4 Cups cold milk

- 1 Tub (80z) fat-free whipped topping, thawed, divided

1. Beat milk, pudding mix, and half of the whipped topping in medium bowl with wire whisk 1 minute. (Mixture will be thick.)

2. Spread in crust. Spread remaining whipped topping over pudding layer.

3. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

4. Garnish as desired.

Makes 8 servings

4 POINTS per serving