Logical Fallicies

Blind Loyalty (also Blind Obedience, the "Team Player" appeal, or the Nuremberg Defense). The dangerous fallacy that an argument or action is right simply and solely because a respected leader or source (an expert, parents, one's own "side," team or country, one’s boss or commanding officers) say it is right. This is over-reliance on authority, a corrupted argument from ethos that puts loyalty above truth or above one's own reason and conscience. In this case, a person attempts to justify incorrect, stupid or criminal behavior by whining "That's what I was told to do," or “I was just following orders."  
                Who doesnt respect Kobe Bryant? A proffessional athelete who has won countless championchip rings, and makes more money than the President of the United States, this man demands respect and oozes cool. However, the idea that one could achieve this greatness by buying a pair of shoes doesnt quite add up.According to Kobe by buying these shoes I will win awards and rings, people will laugh at my jokes, and I wont need help from anyone....uhhhh I dont think anyone will ever laugh at my jokes, even if I'm wearing these black and yellow sneaks. This would definetly be considered a case of blind loyalty. In this day and age, when it feels like everyone is trying to sell us a magic cure to obesity or the secert recipe to eternal cool, its more important than ever for us to use our brains and common sense.

Put Down That Burger!!

            Have you ever heard of Organic Authority? While looking through my TweetDeck, #nutrition, I came across an incredible website called organic authority! It's like Self or Women's Health Magazine online, but better. Laura Klein founded the website, and offers tons of valuable and entertaining information. From beauty foods and workouts, to recipes and chew news, theres something here for everyone. While browsing through Chew News I came across a not so surprising bit of information written by Jill Ettinger, which hasn't received very much publicity, due to all of the recent happenings in the news. 

         Cargrill, one of the top four meat distributors in the U.S., has just called back 29,000 pounds of ground meat after it was discovered that the meat contained traces of Salmonella. The meat was mainly sold in the northern states including Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia and Vermont. More than thirty people have reported being sick, and two of the cases have resulted in hospitalization. The American meat industry has been completely transformed in the last fifty years. This new multi billion dollar meat industry has hundreds of thousands of cows living on small plots of land, and allows for a significant drop in the price of meat.The main two problems with this system of meat production are contamination and quality control. With thousands of animals in close quarters, if one gets sick, pathogens and illness can spread like wildfire. Salmonella, campylobacter, and EcoliO157 can pass from cow to cow at a catastrophic speed. Items like ground beef, which is the main ingredient in hamburgers, can contains hundreds if not thousands of different cows, and if one cow happens to carry a case of Ecoli all of the meat will become contaminated, and shipped out all over the country, making it incredibly difficult to track.

             I dont know about you, but this makes me second guess ordering a cheeseburger in the near future. However, this seems like the perfect time to introduce one of Laura Klein's healthy no meat recipes, her black bean burger. Black beans are a great plant based protein, and taste delicious! 

(Recipe by: Laura Klein)

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups dried black beans picked over and rinsed (you can substitute 2 cans of black beans but make sure you buy a brand that doesn't contain the bisphenol A or BPA lining)

1 onion, finely chopped

3 fresh cilantro sprigs

3 garlic cloves, smashed, skins removed

4 tablespoons of mayonnaise (or substitute Greek yogurt)

1/3 cup dried bread crumbs (to make gluten-free use gluten free crackers)

2 ½ teaspoons of ground coriander

½ teaspoon of ground chipotle seasoning

½ cup chopped cilantro

4 burger buns (my favorite are brioche!)

2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil (or some other high heat oil like avocado oil

Accompaniments:

1 avocado sliced thin

Salsa or pico de gallo, or freshtomatoes

Lettuce

Cheese of choice (if desired)

Method:

If using dried black beans, soak overnight. Bring beans, onion, garlic and cilantro sprigs to a boil in a large wide pot. Cover with water. Water level should be at least 3-4 inches above beans. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until beans are completely tender about 1.5-2 hours (if you cook them al dente you will have a grainy texture). When beans begin to tenderize, add a few pinches of salt. Drain beans and discard cilantro sprigs.

In a food processor or blender, pulse half of bean mixture with onions, garlic, mayonnaise, bread crumbs, coriander and chipotle until combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in remaining bean mixture. Make 4 burger patties.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook burgers until they are crisp and lightly browned, turning once. Total cook time is about 5-7 minutes (if you make thick burgers cooking time will be longer). Serve on buns immediately and garnish with your favorite accompaniments!

              With the London Olympics in full swing, I always find myself wondering, what are these athletes eating to take care of their most prized possession, their bodies! Under # nutrition I came across a great article uncovering the health tips and secrets of our U.S. Olympic Athletes, and I guarantee you these Olympians aren't maintaining their flawless physiques on a diet of  fried food and sugary treats. My favorite tip came form Ashton Eaton stating, "The less legs and the closer to the earth, the better for you." As strange as this initially sounds, there is much logic behind it. For example chickens have fewer legs then cows and pigs, making them healthier, and fish are even better than chicken! Beans, fruits, and vegetables would be at the top of Astons health-food ladder. Makaya Maroney, gymnastics, had a tip I think most of us girls can relate to saying, "It is very important to stay 'in tune,' with what your own body is trying to tell you.  Don't concern yourself with what others around you are eating or doing; keep your focus on yourself." It's a lot harder to eat healthy when your nearest and dearest are gobbling up gooey pizza and warm chocolatey brownies right in front of you. Beware the junk food enablers in your life! Now that we know some of our athletes tips, hopefully we can all start rocking an Olympian bod!

The Farmer's Market

        We hear it all the time, "Go to the Farmer's Market for you produce"(my grandmother). But why? What's so special about the fruits and veggies at the Farmer's Market that makes them worth making a separate shopping trip? After some research on Nutrition.gov, I came across an article on the Farmers Market that held the answers to all of my questions. It contained 10 specific reasons why you should join team Farmer's Market. Firstly, all of the juicy fruits and savory vegetables you will find at the farmers market are fresh and seasonal. They weren't shipped around the world or sprayed with ripening chemicals and preservatives. It's food the way nature intended it. Fresh seasonal fruit simply tastes better; the peaches are sweeter, the apples juicer, and everything smells delicious! Farmer's Markets bring eating with your eyes to a whole nether level. Secondly, the farmers market is a great place to bring your nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, daughters, or sons. This day in age it's hard to get a little one to say something other than chicken and french fries, or plain hamburger please. When you take them to a farmer's market there is beautiful ripe fruits and veggies all around just waiting to be tasted. Allow kids to pick their favorite healthy treats to bring home. Getting them involved in healthy choices at a young age is a great way to insure their future health. Thirdly, by shopping at local farmers markets you are strengthening your local farmers and in turn your community. Instead of buying grapes from Chile, why not buy them from farmer Ted down the street? Also, take advantage of the farmers all around! Ask them how they like to serve and cook their produce, how long before the fruits and veggies will go bad, or what fruits and veggies compliment each other. I don't know how many times I've walked into Publix and stood there looking at the watermelons, cantaloupes, or pineapples wondering,"How can I tell if this is fresh?"And when you look for some helpful advice there is no one around! Lastly, I love the feeling of community that you experience at the Market. Your somewhere new with like minded individuals who are looking for the same thing, the most delicious and nutritious fruits and vegetables at a bargain price.

     

       Now that I have you excited to explore your very first farmers market, I'm assuming your next question will be, "Where can I find a farmers market near me?"The Jacksonville Farmer's Market is located at 1810 West Beaver Street. It's open Monday to Sunday, from 6am-7pm. If you would like to contact the market try calling (904) 354-2821. There is also the Old City Farmer's Market, located in the St. Augustine Amphitheater on A1A South. This is only open Saturday Morning from 8:30-12:30. Now go! Grab a friend or family member and embark on a healthy adventure.

         Mitzi's Blog Comment

Go Diigo...Go!

       Hungry Girl = My new obsession! While paroosing through Fitness Groups on Diigo, I came across a group called  Healthy Choices, which brought me to a website called Hungry Girl. I am now in love! Lisa Lillien aka Hungry Girl, has redefined what it means to live a healthy lifestyle. What if I told you it was possible to loose weight while eating things like hamburgers and mocha shakes. Sounds like a bad infomercial doesn't it? However this is no joke! By making a few calorie conscious nutritional swaps, like switching vanilla ice cream for vanilla soy milk and chocolate fudge for Diet Swiss Miss hot cocoa packets, like in her mocha shake, this hungry girl has transformed healthy food forever. Lisa's website has tons of recipes and recipe swaps like, her recreation of the Taco Bell favorite, the Mexican Pizza. She transformed this sinfully tasty treat from 540 calories and 30 grams of fat to 254 calories and 6.5 grams of fat. And this isn't some yucky impostor version; the pictures look next to identical! I personally am about to go buy the ingredients to recreate her version of Burger King's Mocha Frap. She has transformed this thick and creamy beverage form a fatty 510 calories and 22 grams of fat into a sleek and delicious 143 calories and 2 grams of fat! This hungry girl is making waves all over the place. With her very popular book The Hungry Girl Super Market Survival Guide, and her new show on the Food Network premiering on Saturday mornings, it appears this hungry girl is here to stay. With websites like Hungry Girl around there is no reason not to get our lives moving in a healthier direction. Who says you have to sacrifice taste in order to be healthy?

   






           
         In  Diigo's Groups for Women's Health, I came across Group Wellness, and an article titled Skincare Advice from a Pro. As a woman, I am always on the lookout for new ways to keep my skin soft and silky. This article has tons of  information about taking care of our bodies largest organ. It contained a great tip on how to cheaply exfoliate your whole body and keep your skin velvety soft. You will need a large bottle of lotion (like Johnson's or Aveeno) as well as a bag of white table sugar. While in the shower rise well, turn off the water, and mix equal parts lotion and sugar together. Use the moisturizing scrub all over your body. When spread evenly,  rise off with warm water. When your  shower's complete, follow by applying a creamy moisturizer all over before you go to sleep. You will wake up renewed, refreshed, and silky smooth from head to toe!

          I also found a great article titled Five Foods for Healthier Hair inside the Nutrition Groups on Diigo. I recently have been flirting with the idea of getting my hair trimmed. I am a bit emotionally attached to my hair, as strange as that sounds. Haircuts can sometimes be tragic. I always go in optimistic and excited, I tell the woman what I want exactly, and then an hour later, blah! It's as if I was speaking in another language when I told her the cut I desired. I asked her to cut one inch, she cuts three, I said layers, she gives me side bangs, and well you know the rest. Before I committed to another dreaded haircut, I really wanted to learn a few ways to take better care of my hair, to keep it shiny, fully, and healthy for as long as possible. This article has taught me so much about the connection between the foods I eat and the appearance of my hair. They also discuss the five super foods connected to beautiful flowing locks: whole grain, foods high in vitamin C, such as oranges and tangerines, brown rice, legumes, and foods rich in calcium. I can't wait to put these foods to the test, and achieve beautiful shiny hair.

       P.S. I found this article to be very interesting. A nutrition blog for the New York Times called The Eleven Best Foods You Aren't Eating. Enjoy!

Delicious Inspiration!

   
          I am always on the hunt for blogs that inspire me! While paroosing through some oh so interesting nutritional blogs, on a quest to find the best, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of delicious and nutritious blogs I came across. Mitzi Dulan is a nutritional star! She co-authored The All-Pro Diet: Lose Fat, Build Muscle, and Live Like A Champion with NFL Hall-of-Famer Tony Gonzalez, she has been the nutritionist for several professional teams, like the Kansas City Chiefs Football Team and the Kansas City Royals Baseball Team, and she's a mother of two who travels the country sharing her nutritional knowledge with others. Pretty much, Mitzi Dulan= Wonder Woman! As a nutrition major minoring in physical fitness and a new mother, I find her to be an inspiration. I highly suggest checking out Mitzi's Blog which is chock full of interesting information as well as some tasty recipes.One surprising fact I learned from Mitzi's blog was that you can burn up to one hundred and eighty calories if you vacuum for an hour, and one hundred and sixty if you wash the dishes for 30 minutes! Who knew? I say bring on the chores.


  I know a blog has good recipes when I look at the pictures and salivate! When I visited Jaden Hair's website that's exactly what happened. She's a professional recipe developer, food columnist, and food photographer, who loves creating fast, fresh, and easy recipes anyone can make. What this tells me is, this is a woman who knows her food! Check out Steamy Kitchen if your ready to start creating some healthy simple recipes that everyone will love. Here are a few pictures of Jaden's food to inspire you to get clickin.

     
       After watching Forks Over Knives I was inspired to incorporate some tasty vegetarian recipes into my diet, but where do I begin? When most of us think "vegetarian" images of wet tofu and bland steamed vegetables fill our  heads, yuck. But Michael Natkin, writer of Herbivoracious, says NAY! He has transformed my idea of a vegetarian diet forever. He has created tons of hearty mouth-wateringly delicious recipes that I personally can't wait to try! If saffron and chickpea stew with grilled porcini mushrooms, or green garlic and mint potato salad sound good to you, I highly suggest you check out this herbivores blog. Michael Natkin's Blog

"You’ll be able to build a satisfying, healthful, and most of all, pleasurable meal around these dishes, together with an exciting selection of appetizers, salads, soups and sides. "- Michael Natkin

                                 

Forks Over Knives

         Did you know one million Americans die each year from cancer and heart disease? With 40% of the American public considered obese and half of our country taking prescription drugs on a regular basis,  the health of our country looks quite bleak. But fear not, Dr.'s T. Colin Campbell and Caldwell Esselstyn to the rescue! Promoting a nutrient filled plant based diet, these whole foods specialists are equivalent to modern day Super Men.  Their specialized eating plans have the potential to save millions of lives. The documentary "Forks over Knives,"dives deeper into  the new information these highly acclaimed doctors have uncovered about the negative effects of meat and dairy on our bodies, as well as the positive effects of a plant based nutrient dense diet. Throughout this documentary we follow these highly acclaimed doctors on their journey to discover what it means to be truly healthy.

             Many people today believe meat and protein are synonymous. Although meat does provide all nine essential amino proteins, it has also been shown to cause heart disease and benefit the growth of cancer. Complete protein can be found in many unsuspecting non- meat products such as quinoa and soy. You can also combine incomplete proteins like beans, rice, legumes (nuts), and vegetables together to create a complete protein.Dairy has also been shown to be an unsuspecting accomplice. Dr. Campbell discovered a link between the amount of casine (the main protein in dairy) we consume and tumor growth in the liver. The whole foods eating plan also addresses the ever increasing obesity epidemic, and its connection to our consumption of overly rich processed foods. With the average American carrying twenty three extra pounds one question that comes to mind is, why? What has changed in the last fifty years to cause our countries weight and waistlines to expand so drastically? One belief is the consumption of unnaturally dense processed food, such as high fructose corn syrup, is the main reason for our countries sudden and continual weight gain. To learn more about the benefits of  a plant based diet visit t.colinandcampbell.org. With followers like Bill Clinton, who gives credit to these two extraordinary men for his drastic weight loss, and professional athlete Tony Gonzalez on board, whats stopping you?

          Dr. Campbell has published several articles and books about his findings, many of which are controversial. In his article, Fat and Plant Based Diets, he discusses his beliefs on mono-unsaturated fats as well as his questions about the Mediterranean diet. He also discusses soy in, Soy and Your Health, focusing on the health benefits of soy, as well as its positive effects alzheimer's and cancer.The American Institute for Cancer research also supports a plant based diet. In their article Changing Lives to Save Lives they suggest we cover 2/3rd's of our plate in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. Even though many believe the plant based diet to be extreme, the success and health benefits are undeniable. 

"Sometimes the most elegant solution is the most simple. Why plant-based nutrition? Why not? Why develop heart disease? Cancer? Diabetes? The epidemic of chronic, degenerative disease that is sweeping the western world can not only be stopped, it can be reversed. The power lies in the hands of the consumer, in the choices we make about what to put on our plates." -Anonymous

                                    This is an example of a holistic plant based food pyramid.

O and p.s. for all the Moms out there this is a great blog! Kim is relatable, fun, and has tons of advice. I highly recommend you take a look at Kim's Blog.

making exercise fun

         Eeeekkk! Did you know only 18% of Americans get the recommended amount of daily physical activity? It's recommended that we get a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, along with two muscle strengthening sessions a week. I don't know about the rest of you, but I am not a gym girl. Between the sweaty men and  the unescapable room stink there's pretty much nothing about the gym that appeals to me. I always end up feeling like I'm in a competition with the person on the treadmill next to me. All of the unnecessary grunting makes me uncomfortable, and I dread that moment when you look up and some unwelcome stranger is watching you get pumped while listening to "play that funky music white boy,"awkward. Plus, at the end of a long day the last thing I want to do is get dolled up to go to the gym. What's a girl to do? Instead of having exercise be a chore we have to make it fun! I can hear the scoffs, but I promise it can be done! My top seven favorite fun ways to exercise are swimming, walking, rock climbing, rollerblading, dancing, biking, and boxing. I'm still waiting to try yoga. For those of you who have never taken a boxing class your missing out! Think of it as a chance to punch every person that has ever pissed you off, broken your heart, or taken your parking spot in the face with no negative repercussions. You have the potential to burn thousands of calories, and release all of your pint up stress. If boxing is a bit too intense, go the opposite route. Try walking outside in a beautiful scenic neighborhood or along the shore if you live near the beach. Walking serves as exercise and therapy in one. When you finally get the chance to put down the phone, step away from your computer, and indulge in a little me time you will be amazed at how much better you feel. Not only is exercise a mental release; the physical benefits are endless! You can increase you ability to  defend against infections, lower your risk for heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Now for those of you who need a little musical inspiration to get yourself up off the couch, heres a couple songs that I know will pump you up!

Arctic Monkeys:
Brainstorm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30w8DyEJ__0
Teddy Picker http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A2XBoxtcUA
(p.s. to open highlight, double click, and click open URL)
Now get moving!