November, 2015 | Latinva

7 Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

It is that wonderful time of the year again…the Holidays! This special time of the year where you spend memorable moments with family and friends, celebrate the New Year and enjoy an abundance of delicious food and desert. There are parties and dinners to attend and overindulgence on food at these events might cause you to gain a pound or two by year-end! Year after year the extra couple of pounds keep adding up without you even realizing it.

Here are some tips to continue to have an amazing time at these parties and dinners without gaining a pound:

1) Prepare Reduced Calorie Food: Give your traditional foods a makeover by preparing reduced calorie versions of the traditional foods. You can even mix it up and serve some low calorie non-traditional foods.

2) Avoid Skipping Meals: Eat your breakfast and make sure that you don’t skip a meal before dinner. If you are going to a party and feeling hungry, have a low-calorie nutritious snack before you go to help curb your appetite.

3) Exercise: Get your workout in the morning and stay active during the day. Talk a walk before and after meals, if possible.

4) Drink Plenty of Water: Make sure that you stay hydrated throughout the day. Have a drink of water before dinner, especially if you are hungry.

5) Eat Smaller Portions: Don’t deprive yourself of your favorites, just eat smaller portions and make sure that you skip a second serving. Use the smallest plate available and don’t stack your food.

6) Chew Slowly: Chew slowly and spend more time chatting with your family and friends. The more air you swallow between bites, the more full you will feel.

7) Get Plenty of Sleep: Stick to your normal sleep routine around the Holidays regardless of how busy you are. Recent studies show that sleep deprivation appears to increase the likelihood of weight gain.

The Holidays are about celebrating with family and friends and creating wonderful memories. Enjoy the Holidays as you spend time with your loved ones…

Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole is a favorite and a must for a Thanksgiving dinner. Give your casserole a makeover and try this delicious and nutritious twist on your favorite recipe. You can indulge without the guilt…it is perfect side dish for any meal!

Ingredients:
• 2 pounds of frozen French cut green beans
• 1 medium onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
• ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

Preparation:
• In a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent about 2 – 3 minutes.
• Reduce to low heat and add green beans. Mix well and cover saucepan. Cook for about 12 – 15 minutes mixing occasionally.
• Transfer green beans to a bowl and garnish with toasted slivered almonds.
• Serve with turkey, chicken, fish or steak.
• Leftovers will keep refrigerated for 5 days.

Serves: 8
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 84.5 Calories, 6.9g Carbohydrates, 0mg Cholesterol, 5.4 Fat, 16.5mg Potassium, 1.1g Protein, and 323mg Sodium

Delicious Chicken Soup

Our easy to make homemade Chicken Soup is filled with vegetables and herbs. The recipe includes an abundance of antioxidants and natural goodness, it will make you feel warm and cozy during the cold Fall and Winter seasons!

Ingredients – Chicken:
• Chicken breast tenders (3 lbs)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Ingredients – Soup:
• 1 large chopped onion
• 3 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables (1 lb.)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh or dried rosemary
• 3 bay leaves

Preparation – Chicken:
• Preheat oven at 450 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the chicken, olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper.
• Place foil in a large cooking pan, place chicken mixture in pan and cover with foil.
• Cook for about 40 – 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Make sure that you save the liquid broth.
• Dice the chicken into small bite-sized pieces.

Preparation – Soup:
• In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until golden about 3 – 4 minutes.
• Stir in salt and black pepper, sauté for one more minute.
• Add 5 cups of broth and bring to a boil.
• Add chicken and liquid from pan to pot. Cover pot and cook for about 3 – 5 minutes.
• Lower heat to a simmer and add mixed vegetables and simmer for about 2 – 3 minutes.
• Add basil, parsley, rosemary and bay leaves.
• Cover pot and simmer for about 1 – 2 minutes.
• Taste and add salt and/or pepper if necessary.
• Remove bay leaves.
• Ladle into bowls and serve.
• Leftovers will keep refrigerated for 5 days.

Serves: 4
Active Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 512.25 Calories, 19.9g Carbohydrates, 135mg Cholesterol, 15.74g Fat, 86.85mg Potassium, 2.22g Protein, and 1431.75mg Sodium

7 Ways to Ward Off the Flu

The cold and flu season has arrived. It is time to start building up your body’s natural defenses. Usually referred to as the flu, influenza is a highly infectious respiratory disease. When the virus is inhaled, it attacks cells in the upper respiratory tract, causing typical flu symptoms such as fatigue, fever and chills, a hacking cough, and body aches.

Flu Season: The U.S. flu season usually occurs between October and April. During each year’s flu season, millions of people about 5% to 20% of the country’s residents, contract the disease.

Risk: The flu is easily spread through personal contact. People with impaired immune systems, chronic medical problems, or those who are elderly are more susceptible to contracting the flu. Infection occurs when you are exposed to the upper respiratory fluids (droplets from coughing or sneezing, for example) of an infected person.

Symptoms: Typical flu symptoms tend to start very suddenly and can include chills, fever, muscle aches, cough, headache, fatigue, sweating, watery eyes and a sore throat. Symptoms usually last between three and five days and improve gradually after the first 48 hours. Occasionally, the flu can progress to pneumonia, either caused by the virus itself or by a secondary bacterial infection.

Treatment: Treatment includes getting rest, drinking liquids and taking acetaminophen for pain and fever. Avoid aspirin when you have the flu, since a link has been shown between the use of aspirin during the flu and the development of Reye’s Syndrome, which involves failure of the liver and brain swelling. Reye’s Syndrome usually occurs in children and adolescents, and in rare cases, adults.

Flu Shots: Flu Shots have been shown to be 80 percent effective in preventing influenza, and very few people experience side effects. However, people who are allergic to eggs should not get a flu shot.

Prevention:

1) Eat a Balanced Diet: Your diet should contain whole grain, fruits and vegetables. Cook with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial herbs and spices such as cumin and garlic. Homemade chicken soup is a favorite cure of cold symptoms.

2) Exercise: Light exercise can actually boost your immune system.

3) Get Enough Sleep: A good night sleep will build up your immune system.

4) Reduce stress: Try to reduce your stress to boost your immune system.

5) Stay hydrated: Don’t forget to stay hydrated, drink plenty of juice, tea or water. Hot ginger spiced tea, hot honey cayenne tea, hot honey chamomile tea, hot lemon tea, etc.

6) Take Multivitamins: Take your multivitamins to enhance your immune system.

7) Wash Your Hands: Wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face.

Do you have any other tips or family remedies to fend off the cold and flu? Share them with us…

Sign Up For The Latinva Revolution