Great Healthy Living Quote # 63--Mind Over Muffins

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#FitSocial Brings Experts To Boulder

Boulder is the perfect place for a fitness conference. I am about to join the FitSocial 2013 Conference in Boulder. It will be a great gathering of experts and bloggers passionate about fitness, health, weight loss, and healthy eating...what I call the elements of a Healthy Lifestyle. It will be a great opportunity for me to meet peer bloggers and learn how to better use social media, and particularly blogging, to share and communicate with those who are interested in the same issues around heatlhy lifestyle as I am.

One of the highlights of the conference will be a visit to the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center and meet Dr. Jim Hill. At the Center we will be able to see a Grocery Lab and Metabolic Kitchen, to name just a few innovative offerings.

It is an exciting time to be passionate and involved in the world of health and wellness. There is so much happening to the benefit of our health and our lives. I look forward to learning, taking notes (on my iPad, of course!) and sharing more and in better ways with you.

Stay tuned!

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Seasonal Southwestern Salad-- Hearty & Healthy

Seasonal Southwesern Salad-- Hearty & Healthy (livligahome)

Southwestern salads can be hearty and healthy and are well suited for the times of the year when our seasons are in transition. It can be a hearty salad, filled with fresh seasonal vegetables. The dressing typically has a little heat which can cool you down on a hot day or, remarkable, also heat you up if it is a little cool outside. Click here to read the entire article...


Re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com

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Scarfing Food is not Good for Our Health

Scarfing Food is not Good for Our Health @livligahome

When I sit down to eat a meal I tend to dive in and scarf the food on my plate. You would think I hadn’t eaten in weeks or that I was in a contest to see who can finish their meal first. It is a mindless habit. It was how I was brought up. Our dinner table was lively and animated. Meals were not lingered over, there was a TV show to watch, a baseball game to play or a friend to meet. Turns out this is pretty common for most of us. We are culturally conditioned to eat fast. Regrettably, it is not so good for our health.

Marc David in his book, The Slow Down Diet, describes the effect our mindless scarfing has on our bodies. It is probably obvious to us all that when we eat quickly we probably eat more than we need because we have the time to plow it in and yet our bodies haven’t had the time to feel full. As Marc David explains our fast eating confuses our metabolism and causes more of our food to go to fat rather than converting it to instant energy. We eat too many calories when we eat quickly and more of those calories automatically go to fat. No wonder we keep gaining weight, we are playing Double Jeopardy with our bodies at every meal.

It is amazing to think that just by taking a couple of extra minutes over a meal we can improve our health dramatically, even lose weight. Research shows that by taking time over a meal we will enjoy the food and moment more and we end up eating less. Slowing down increases the possibility of feeling satisfied at the end of our meal.

Don’t we all have a love/hate relationship with skinny people? Truth be told, we envy them. At a meal I watch them to see what they do that is different than what I do. On average I do think they take more time when they eat. One of my sons, a tall lean fellow, has the amazing habit of sitting in front of his plate of food and not even touching it for a couple of minutes at the beginning of a meal. He just talks to us. It seems so civilized. For me to do this it will take a very conscious act. I want to try it, though. It is good for my health. Looks like a key step in a healthier lifestyle is taking time over a meal and not scarfing what is on our plate.

Re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com

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Event for New Book for Children--A Fun Adventure that Teaches about a Balanced Meal

Sammie and Sax in the Land of Quinoa: The Seach for a Balanced Meal by Sheila Kemper Dietrich

Dear Special Friends -

Here we are just a couple of days away from the big event! There is still time to come join in the fun! We would love to have you. In fact, we would love for you to bring your friends and family too!

What we are launching is all about friends, family and our children! We want to share our journey in creating Kidliga, a children’s line of dishware and a book, all about providing children the framework for healthier eating and lifestyle choices in a fun and adventuresome way.

Tim Foss, the illustrator, and I, the author, will be talking about how we developed the Kidliga line and came to write our first ever book. It promises to be a great and engaging conversation.

By clicking on the live link I have provided, you can go right to the event page on our website (LivligaHome.com) to order tickets and pre-order Kidliga dishware sets with our book. I would be honored if you did! When you order now you will not only enjoy the cocktail reception but additionally you will be guaranteed reserved seating for the Presentation and Book signing.

Don’t delay in making your reservations and pre-order today. We want to make sure to see you on September 25^th. Thanks so much for your support!

Come help us have some fun!

Sheila and Tim

P.S. If you can’t come to the Celebration/Reception feel free to come to the Presentation and Book Signing. It is free and open to the public and does not require reservations. See you there!

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Great Healthy Living Quote # 62--Results at the End of Your Comfort Zone

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My First Book Signing for our Health-Oriented Children's Adventure Book Next Week in Kansas City!

I wanted to follow up with everyone about the special event coming up next week. It is amazing to think I have actually written a book and have had the great fortune to work with a very talented illustrator, Tim Foss. We are coming to Kansas City to share our book and the Kidliga dishware line of my company Livliga. We want to share how the book came about, in addition to what the book is all about! It is an imaginative children’s adventure book that is also a lesson in what a balanced meal is all about. It is the first in a series for young children and their families. Come join us and find out more!

At 5pm we are having a cocktail reception at Seasons 52 on the Plaza that is a fundraiser for a very special organization—The Children’s Center for Healthy Lifestyles and Nutrition. The Co-Directors, Dr. Sarah Hampl, of Children’s Mercy Hospital, and Dr. Ann Davis, of KU Medical Center, will be there so you can talk to them in person about there important, groundbreaking research on childhood obesity.

At 7pm will be the Presentation and Book Signing sponsored by Rainy Day Books and Vivien Jennings. Part of the presentation will be a chat between Tim Foss and me about the development of the book and then among Dr. Davis, Dr. Hampl, Kit Smith (Preschool teacher extraordinaire from Pembroke Hill School), Tim Foss and me about the importance of projects like ours in helping children grow up understanding their health and living a healthier lifestyle.

We really hope you will come be a part of this special event. Feel free to invite others as well! We want this to be the best celebration and book signing ever!

By clicking on the live link I have provided you can go right to the event page on our website (LivligaHome.com) to order tickets and pre-order Kidliga dishware sets with my book. I would be honored if you did! When you order now you will not only enjoy the cocktail reception but additionally you will be guaranteed reserved seating for the Presentation and Book signing.

Really hope to see you on September 25^th. Thanks so much for your support!

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Obesity a Disease or Lack of Will Power?

Obesity a Disease or Lack of Will Power? (livligahome)

Recently the American Medical Association (AMA) voted to label obesity a disease. There are many that think this was a long time coming. Several other national organizations have already designated obesity as a disease like the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the Social Security Administration, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Why is this important? Medical reimbursement. It is a way to get the government and health insurance providers to pay our medical bills. In reality, they have already been paying the bills but under a different name: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and stroke, to name a few. Click here to read the entire article...



re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com

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Summer Savory Spaghetti Squash Beats the Heat with this Tasty & Simple Recipe

Spaghetti Squash flavored with Summer Savory spice can be a great way to beat the heat. Spaghetti squash is easy to prepare and can even be done ahead of time and quickly reheated. It is a great dish to serve as your “starch” for a meal. It is filling, visually appealing and satisfying to eat without the heaviness of a carbohydrate.

Summer Savory is an herb that is not very well known but has a long history. It is an annual related to the mint family yet its taste is likened to a combination of sage and thyme. You might know of it as one of the ingredients in Herbes de Provence. It brightens the flavors in a dish. You can buy it at the grocery store among the spices. This time of year it is also possible to find it at the Farmer’s Market.
At the end of summer I find I am looking for brighter, fresher flavors that are uncomplicated. It is the time of year when we are looking towards the fall and not so enamored with the heat. We need lively flavors to perk us up.

Spaghetti Squash lends itself well to a variety of flavorings.  It shines, though, with bright tasting seasonings. Here is how I prepared my Summer Savory Spaghetti Squash:

Ingredients-

• 1 medium-sized Spaghetti Squash
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray
• 1 teaspoon Summer Savory
• ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder, California-style
• ½ teaspoon ground Ginger
• ¼ teaspoon onion salt

Directions-
1. Cut the Spaghetti Squash in half. Scoop out all the seeds. Spray the insides and rim of the squash with olive oil cooking spray.
2. Place the prepared squash face down, flat, on a cookie sheet. Cook it in an oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender.
3. Scoop the Spaghetti Squash out of its shell. Sprinkle all herbs on the squash, occasionally tossing to distribute the herbs evenly throughout the squash.
4. Spray the prepared squash dish lightly with olive oil cooking spray and give it one final toss. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6. Each serving is about 1 cup. Calories are 42.

Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

Re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com

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Great Healthy Living Quote # 61--If it doesn't Feel Hard, it isn't

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Updating a Classic—The All American Patty Melt

Updating a Classic—The All American Patty Melt Served Up on Vivente!

This past week I took on the challenge of updating another classic—the All American Patty Melt. There are foods we have grown up with that are our comfort food. These recipes remind us of what is good in life. A mouthful of a favorite can cause us to close our eyes and moan with delight. Often, however, these dishes are filled with fatty ingredients, salt and the ever-present sugar.  I have learned from some modern-day chefs, like Rocco DiSpirito, that it is possible to update favorites and make them healthier without giving up the flavor and satisfaction. In fact, we should settle for nothing less. I thought I would try my hand with the All American Patty Melt.

In order to update the All American Patty Melt I focused on eliminating a lot of the fat. I did this by changing the meat to turkey, limiting the oil and choosing a cheese for the top of the All American Patty Melt that has less calories in fat. The salt used was less than ½ tsp and was mixed with herbs. There was no refined sugar used in the making of this recipe.

The Updated and Healthier All American Patty Melt was a BIG hit. There was the same satisfying “mmm…”s coming from my family members. More than once there were comments like “This is really good!” and “Wow, I love the flavors!.”  The verdict is in: you can update and make a longtime favorite recipe healthier and equally satisfying.  We now have a new classic to look forward to. The recipe is below:

Ingredients—

• 1 lbs ground turkey meat
• ¼ tsp onion salt
• ⅛ tsp coarsely ground pepper
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp dried minced onion
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp herbes de Provence
• 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• Cooking Spray, Olive Oil flavored
• 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pinch Gayle’s Herb Salt
• 1 8oz container of sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbls dry sherry
• 4 slices provolone cheese, ultra thin
• 4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 8 slices of Jewish Rye bread

Directions—

1. Place ground turkey meat and next 6 ingredients in a bowl. Mix ingredients together well.
2. Divide turkey meat mixture into 4 equal parts. Form the 4 parts into elongated oval patties (to fit better in the rye bread sandwich).
3. Spray cast-iron skillet with cooking spray. Add 1 tsp of olive oil. Place the patties in the skillet. Cook the patties for about 8 minutes, 4 minutes on each side, or until done. Add a slice of provolone to the top of each patty. Keep warm.
4. At the same time the patties are cooking, in another skillet, spray cooking spray and add the other 1 tsp of olive oil. Place the sliced onions in the heated skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Cook the mixture for 7 minutes, stirring regularly. The onions and mushrooms should be slightly browned and softened.
5. Add the sherry to the onion mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes.
6. Spray olive oil cooking spray on the rye bread. Grill in skillet until toasted on both sides.
7. Assemble the All American Patty Melt ingredients. Spread 1 tsp of Dijon mustard on one side of 4 slices of bread. Place the patties on top. Separate the onion mixture into fourths. Place ¼ mixture on top of each patty. Top the patties with the remaining slices of bread. Serve.

Serves 4. Serving size: 1 sandwich. Calories 457.

To make it a meal add a tossed green salad with 2 tablespoons of my light and lemony vinaigrette for 25 calories. Total calories for the meal: 482.





 Re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com

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Birthing Babies into a Life of Obesity

Another study pointing us to a better understanding of the factors that contribute to the epidemic of obesity in our children:
 
Babies delivered by caesarean section appear to be twice as likely to become obese as those born naturally. Researchers at Harvard Medical School followed the pregnancies of more than 1,000 Boston women and found that nearly 16 percent of children delivered surgically were obese by age 3, compared with fewer than 8 percent of those born through vaginal delivery. That could mean caesareans are a significant factor in the obesity epidemic, study author Susanna Huh tells WebMD.com, since “one in three children in the U.S. is now delivered by caesarean section.’’ Researchers theorize that the cause could be a caesarean baby’s lack of exposure to its mother’s intestinal microbes. Just as we each have a blood type, we each harbor a specific set of gut bacteria. Babies often pick up their mothers’ microbes during their trip through the birth canal. Those born surgically are more likely to host a preponderance of gut flora called Firmicutes, which often predominate in obese adults. Though the current study doesn’t prove that surgical births cause obesity, Huh says, it does suggest “yet another reason to avoid caesarean sections that aren’t medically necessary.” 

Found in The Week, June 6, 2012

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In the Land of Quinoa

Colorful Quinoa Salad @livligahome

It may come as a surprise to many of us that quinoa has reached the stratosphere of superstardom. In fact, The United Nations has declared 2013 The International Year of Quinoa.

The United States has become the “Land of Quinoa”. You don’t have to go to Whole Foods any more to find it. It is amazing to see how many restaurants now have it on their menus. Even in the Heart of America at a restaurant called Café Sebastienne in Kansas City, Missouri  they have quinoa on the lunch menu.

Recipes for quinoa cover a wide range. There are recipes for any number of side dishes with flavorings from around the world. There are dishes made just for lunch. And then there are ones for dinner. Recently I saw a fun and creative recipe for a hot cereal version designed just for kids.
It is a good thing we like this ancient grain. It is packed full of goodness. It is high in fiber and loaded with protein. It is a relief to many that it is indeed gluten free.  It is evident that it has come by its name “super grain” naturally.

My family loves quinoa. It is easy to prepare and cooks in about 20 minutes. It is also a versatile grain and can be the base for any desired flavoring with herbs and spices. Add a few diced, fresh vegetables and you have a tasty pilaf.

If you haven’t yet joined the rave for quinoa, now is the time! It is a great way to add health to your diet. Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com

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Great Healthy Living Quote # 60--Surrender to your Breathing

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The Secret to Avoiding Destructive Eating Habits at Restaurants

The Secret to Avoiding Destructive Eating Habits at Restaurants

I have been in a long search to discover the secret to avoiding destructive eating habits at a restaurant. Recently my family has been eating more meals out in restaurants. I have found myself wanting to drift back to old, destructive habits. Somehow when I go to a restaurant, even on an ordinary day, I begin to feel like I am on “vacation”. My mind starts to wonder if it wouldn’t be fun to have an appetizer to “share”.  Then when I am looking down the menu for my entrée I start to look for the “special” item I don’t get to have unless I am in a restaurant. Generally this means it has more salt, more fat and even more sugar. I also look for what I can get the most of for my money. Then at the end of the meal comes the debate about dessert. What excuse can I make to justify dessert—hard day at work? Mid-week splurge? I deserve to be pampered?  It is just not that hard to come up with an excuse if you are looking for one.

It is like a great kiss in an epic movie where the woman goes weak in the knees and succumbs to the suitor. My classic response to food is to give in and swoon at all the possibilities on a menu. Then as I begin to hate myself for making the “weak” choices I do, I begin to see my relationship with food more like an abusive marriage. I keep getting beat up, my head slammed against the wall over and over again and yet I can’t resist and come back for more…until death do us part from heart disease, diabetes or cancer.

It is hard to break old habits. No one understands this better than I do. But it is possible.  How? Let me give you an example. Since we have been going out to restaurants more, I have been talking about sharing an entrée with my daughter or husband.  This worked some of the time but often we didn’t want to order the same thing or somebody was too tired or too hungry to share. Then my husband came up with the idea of us each ordering what we wanted but asking the kitchen to only serve us half of our order at the table and package the other half to take home for lunch the next day. This is working! It is amazing how you don’t miss what you don’t see. And even with half the amount of food on our plate, when we finish it we are perfectly full.  So full, in fact,  I don’t want dessert.
We are actually having fun with this new approach. It is a new game we have invented.  We are hardly “perfect” when we go out to eat but we are definitely ordering and eating less and enjoying the effort. I have, in fact, lost weight because I am not over-feeding myself. I am even sleeping better. It is a huge help to have my family’s willingness to play our new “game”. With their help I am getting into a new habit. Soon I want to be practiced enough to make the “serve half” request on my own.  I know it is one of many steps towards a healthier lifestyle and it feels wonderfully liberating.

Re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com

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Expert Tip On Weight Management #7--Find an Exercise That Works for You--Joe DiAngelo

I came across this article that had well-known experts commenting on what they see as an important tip to controlling our weight. Thought the advice given made a lot of sense . Read on:

Find an Exercise That Works for You: Bodybuilder Joe DiAngelo

“Don’t limit yourself by doing a certain type of exercise just because you’ve seen a trainer do it,” says the celebrity person trainer. “That method is theirs, and it doesn’t mean it will work for you. Find a sport you like and then train for it. Even if you start small, you can develop into greatness if you like what you are doing. For instance, if you like to play basketball and you train like a basketball player in the gym, you’ll improve agility, speed, and explosiveness that translate to the game when you play it with your friends — you’ll feel the difference and love it. And you’ll get fit and lean in the process.”

I found this at http://www.everydayhealth.com 

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Rosemary Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies--ALL TIME BEST!

 

For more of my Livliga recipes that are easy to use and print go to livligahome.com.

Live Vibrant!

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Great Healthy Living Quote # 59

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