Dare You To...

It's the return of Friday Features!  Lately, I've been seeing more and more articles promoting some research findings that I've been living by for a while. Vindication! Love having a quick link to send to my friends, family, and YOU that unearths and explains some important science that impacts your life.



"Light emitting e-readers detrimentally shift circadian clock" The American Association for the Advancement of Science recaps a research study's findings about the negative impact of e-readers' light on participants sleep quantity and quality, as well as their alertness and functioning the following day!!

Yet another publication has caught up to the times:
"Nutritional experts say it's time to stop fearing fat."
The article as a whole is tentative, as the title indicates
by placing responsibility on the "nutritional experts."
It goes back and forth, asking expert after expert about their take
on a recent research study.  Some advice…

Fall!  Leaves!  School!  And... APPLES!

Although I didn't love eating fruit as a child, apples are one that I always enjoyed.  As an adult, I've gone through phases of apple consumption.  Whenever they're around, I gladly eat them, but I just have to remember to buy them.   Whenever I do, I'm always pleasantly surprised by how tasty they are!  This fall, I've dared myself to step up my apple game, and I dare you to, too!


"An apple a day keeps the doctor away," or so they say.  I don't know if this is true, but I do know that apples have been long hailed as a health food.  What's all the fuss about? Don't so many health companies and apps use an apple in their logo or icon?  Why is that?

What's so great about apples?  Let's explore:
Nutritional Benefits Fiber
Antioxidants
Vitamin C
Boron
Pectin
*many of these nutrients are contained in the skin -- don't leave em out!Note that apples are high in sugar.  Of course, this is a natural s…

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I like to eat eggs. A lot.  So today, I bring you an overdue ode to eggs:


Recently, upon mentioning that I could eat eggs all day every day and be happy, someone commented, "Sure, but that wouldn't be good for you."

Sigh.  Okay, first of all, I was eggaggerating.

Second, WHY?  Why do eggs get such a bad rap?  Because they contain dietary cholesterol, and we all know cholesterol in food raises our blood cholesterol, and high blood cholesterol is bad.  Right?

Wrong.
Now, I'm not devoting today's entire post to those giant myths, but I'll say this: they're myths.  Eating dietary cholesterol does not yield higher blood cholesterol levels, and even our own cholesterol is not inherently bad!  Our bodies need cholesterol to produce hormones, make vitamin D, build and repair cell walls, and more.  So both sides of this argument against eggs are faulty. Even as far back as 2006, the Harvard Health News tried to redeem egg…

You heard me right.


If you'd told me three years ago--or even three months ago--that I'd be writing these words, I'd have laughed, too.  In fact, recently my mother was visiting and came across them in my pantry. She was shocked and... well let's just say she wasn't excited or eager to open up a box.  I told her not to worry and she'd soon read about my foray into the world of sardines.

Why:

You can thankthese ladies (Diane Sanfilippo and Liz Wolfe) for putting sardines on my radar as a health food.  Yes, apparently sardines are incredibly nutritious!  Further research revealed that they're rich in many vitamins and minerals.  They contain vitamins A, B, C, D, and E,  and even provide about 32% of your recommended daily intake of calcium and half the daily value for DHA and EPA, two crucial types of Omega-3 fatty acids.  All this nutrition in such a tiny package... it's no wonder that they made it onto a 2008 New York Times Well list of The 11 Best Food…

For a few years, Diane Sanfilippo has shared her expertise on sugar cravings in an e-book called The 21 Day Sugar Detox, where she outlined a program for a three-week detox from sugar.  Whether you think you've got a sweet tooth or not, you may be surprised how sugar affects your daily life (eczema, fatigue, mood swings, acne, blood sugar rollercoasters, and more!).  Take a look at the videos below and consider whether a detox might be beneficial for YOU!

Want some testimonials? I completed the program twice, myself, and shared my experiences here and here.  My friend Amber has recapped her experiences at Exsoycise.com, and you can also find great experience posts by Sarah on her blog The Paleo Mom, and George of The Civilized Caveman.  Just google "21-Day Sugar Detox Recap" and you'll see countless positive reviews for this life-changing program.


Now, Diane has revamped and added to her program to create an all-inclusive resource in a real, physical, keep-it-on-you…

First: Don't forget to enter the Bestowed Giveaway - ends Friday.

Now: Guest Post! 
Today, Everyday Healthdares us both to take a closer look at canned food.I, myself, don't use canned foods a ton, but I do regularly use canned tomato paste, tomatos, coconut milk, fish, and, occasionally, other vegetables like mushrooms and hearts of palm.  Hm, actually, maybe it's more often than I realized!
I've often avoided the issue of what's lurking in those cans, and what from the cans is leeching into my food.  But now, we've got some answers...

-----
A Closer Look at Canned Food
By: Hillary Monroe, MS RD LDN, Registered Dietitian and writer for Everyday Health Calorie Counter.

In any given grocery store or corner bodega we find canned goods aplenty. It seems like anything and everything can be canned, from the typical soup, green beans, or tuna fish to whole chickens and even cheese. It’s hard to believe but the canning process dates back to the late 18th century in Fr…

Man, oh man, do I have some great reads for you!  I've just been collecting them and the list grows longer and longer...

Reminder: If you like Friday Features, you can always stay up to date with articles that I find worth sharing by following me on Twitter,because I'm always retweeting similar content!

There is a LOT of nutrition in the news these days, so today is going to be nutrition-heavy.  Maybe next week I'll shift gears to focus on fitness.

[But, before we begin, one fun fitness feature:] Remember last year's introduction to SlimKicker?  It's this awesome website that helps you tackle challenges you give yourself, to become a better you.  Sound familiar?  Anyway, they're hosting a huge giveaway, where you can win a Bowflex Home Gym, worth over $1000!  They tell us: "This home gym features more than 50 strength building exercises, with resistance ranging from 50 to 210 pounds. It's very convenient, and simple to use, with no cable exchanges neede…

In the journey to become your best self, you've got to actively seek out information that will help you make better choices.  This weekend, I had such an opportunity, and took it.

And that means another event recap...


Appropriately coinciding with my one-year paleoversary, I traveled this weekend to Washington D.C. to learn even more about the science behind and practical implementation of a paleo lifestyle.  At Crossfit Metro Center,  the Balanced Bites Nutrition Workshop would be presented for the last audience for a while.  I'm so fortunate to have taken part!

The Balanced Bites Workshop is led by Diane Sanfilippo (of BalancedBites.com) and Liz Wolfe (of CaveGirlEats.com), two very smart and funny women whose podcast has made my commutes far more enjoyable and educational. 
The workshop was basically an all-inclusive schooling on what different foods--and the nutrients and micronutrients that come with them--do in and to our bodies, and how we can make better choices for optim…