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carol@inkwellcoaching.com

Crown Point, IN

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March 28, 2024

The Miracle of Breath and Easter

Today while I was busy breathing, doing my best to focus on my breath and not what I would blog about this week, I was flooded with a thought that sho

March 21, 2024

Celebrating the Spring Equinox

This year the spring equinox occurred on March 19 at 11:06 P.M. EDT. That was the astronomical beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisph

March 14, 2024

10 Muscle Building Tips for Women

Most women I talk with would like to build more muscle and lose more fat. While strength or resistance training is a key component to building muscle,

March 7, 2024

A Taste of Spring

In case you’ve been missing out on some of the most delectable oranges, this is your friendly reminder that we are in the midst of SUMO season. This

February 29, 2024

10 Healthy Snacks for Busy People

My family loves snacks. I love snacks. Who doesn’t love a good snack? I believe snacking can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle. When you c

February 21, 2024

Saving Dough and a Surprise Cake from Mr. Non-Compliant

Some say it’s expensive to eat healthy. I believe it’s even more expensive, especially in the long run, to eat unhealthy. Today I present some tip

February 14, 2024

My Best Workout Tip for Top Results

Ever wonder how to get the most out of your run or walk or strength training workouts? It’s the same way you can feel the most productive about your

February 8, 2024

Celebrating the Birth Month Without FOGO

This year’s birth month is a rare one because I get to celebrate for 29 days. Those of you who get 30, or if you’re REALLY lucky, 31 days, may not

February 1, 2024

How to Stick with Exercise

Work is really busy. Or your kid is going through a “phase.” Or it’s chocolate season. Any number of obstacles, distractions, and competing dema

January 24, 2024

Find the Right Foods for You

You know what it’s like to create a pump-up playlist, right? You compile a list of songs that—when they come on—make you say: “Yes, I feel lik

Baby Angelos Turns Two!

For those of you who have been following my blog for the past 2 ½ years, you may recall my weekly posts about the size of my friend’s baby in utero compared to various fruits and vegetables.

Baby Angelos recently celebrated his 2nd birthday, and I thought it would be fun to share his latest stats.

For starters, he’s no baby. He is quite the little boy, 33 pounds and 3 feet tall. Rough and tumble and had to have a few stitches by his eyebrow a few weeks ago. (No wicked scar.)   

His dad tells me, “Because of your coaching and 52-week column, he is a voracious eater of fresh organic fruits and veggies…about to start a GoFundMe to pay the Whole Foods bill!”

What can I say? Happy to hear it. Just doing my job.

His favorites are carrots, peas, pineapple, watermelon, apples, Sumo oranges, strawberries.

And just so you know, he’s a normal 2-year-old. At his birthday party I witnessed him slamming down his chicken fingers and French fries dipped in ketchup, also known as the “sauce.”

When a cute little girl wanted to take him by the hand to go play, he begrudgingly left his food behind with a French fry in tow. He kept turning around to make sure no one took away his plate.

When he’s not busy learning how to read and increasing his vocabulary, he loves playing with his work bench and hammers, aka boom-booms.

I suspect he’ll soon be looking for some part-time carpentry work to help pay his WF’s bill.

Happy 2nd birthday to Angelos!

Peas are Good

If Angelos likes them, we probably ought to be eating them too.

Green peas are a great source of plant protein and fiber. One-half cup contains 4 grams of each. They are rich in antioxidants and a good supplier of essential vitamins and minerals.

No wonder the bunnies like them so much. I’ve yet to have success growing peas. The bunnies think I plant them for their snacking pleasure.

Peas have a low glycemic index and support healthy blood sugar control. 

Some may have a difficult time digesting peas. If this is you, try eating small amounts (1/3 cup or less) of them at a time. As you slowly make them a regular part of your diet, your body will hopefully get used to them and you may even be able to increase portion size.

Here’s an easy recipe I found from Medical Medium. I bet Angelos will like it.

Sweet Pea Dip

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup peas, fresh or defrosted
  • 1 medium-sized avocado, peeled, pitted and dice
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro + more for garnish
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the peas, avocado, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Wishing you the most marvelous May.

Much love,
Health Coach Carol

 P.S. If any of you have young sons and haven’t heard “Watching You” by Rodney Atkins, check it out on YouTube.

“I’ve been watching you dad, ain’t that cool? I’m your buckaroo, I wanna be like you.
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are. We like fixing things and holding mama’s hand. Yeah we’re just alike, hey ain’t we dad?”—
Rodney Atkins, “Watching You”   

Tomatoes and Acidity

This week I was asked, “My young son gets some red irritation around his mouth when he eats lots of tomatoes. Why does this happen?”

The answer: acid in the tomato is irritating the area where it comes in contact. Citrus fruits may have the same effect. 

There are some varieties such as Roma (plum), Oxheart Pink, Oxheart Yellow and Yellow Pear which are considered to be low in acid.

Golden Boy or Lemon Boy and Golden Jubilee are examples of low-acid tomatoes that turn yellow as they ripen.

 Yellow tomatoes are typically less acidic than traditional ones. Their nutritional value differs slightly from that of red tomatoes. They have more niacin and folate, but less lycopene and vitamin C.

Tomatoes that fall into the low-acid range tend to have smaller amounts of seed, and more flesh than other varieties.

Good to know if you have a problem digesting tomatoes due to their acidity—or if you have a little one who loves tomatoes and gets a red ring around the mouth.

You can reduce the acidity of tomatoes by adding a pinch of baking soda after you cook them. Be careful to add only a pinch so that you don’t ruin your sauce. You can also remove the seeds.

The longer tomatoes are cooked, the more acidic they become. This is because the tomatoes lose more water and fiber if boiled longer. In the same way as reducing the cooking time can lower the acid content, avoiding cooking tomatoes will also reduce their acidity. 

Tomatoes help with heart and skin health and cancer prevention.

If you have a patio or area that gets lots of sun, you can try growing your own tomatoes. Here in the Region, it’s usually safe to plant on Mother’s Day weekend.

Wishing you a beautiful week.

Much love,
Health Coach Carol

“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.”—Lewis Grizzard

Better than a Chia Pet

Lately I’ve been honoring my addiction to chia pudding.

While not everyone is a fan, you may like to give it a try if you:

  • like pudding
  • don’t have an aversion to interesting food textures
  • are trying to increase your intake of plant-based omega-3’s
  • could use more protein and fiber in your diet
  • would like a snack, dessert or breakfast food that is nutritious and fun

Chia seeds are a superfood with a multitude of health benefits.

As you may have guessed, Mr. Non-Compliant is not a fan.

Whatever.

I make it for me and have even been known to eat it right out of the big bowl, guilt-free.

If you’d like to know more about chia seeds, you can check out the article I wrote last year for Get Healthy magazine by clicking here.

You can find chia seeds at your local grocery. Be sure to check the expiration date. Store them in the fridge or freezer to keep them fresh if you buy in bulk or don’t use them often. They can go rancid when exposed to air, dampness, or heat.

Here’s a recipe for the pudding. Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it will keep for up to 5 days. In my case, it doesn’t last that long. 

Overnight Chia Seed Pudding

½ cup chia seeds
1 ½ cups milk or milk alternative of your choice (almond, oat, coconut, etc.)

In a medium size bowl, combine chia seeds and milk. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When you’re ready to eat, give it a good stir, breaking up any clumps. You can enjoy as is or add some other ingredients to jazz it up a bit. Once you’ve mixed in additional ingredients, portion out into serving bowls.

If you want to make enough for several days, use a large bowl to make a big batch, then portion it out into several small jars or bowls the next morning. You may want to add additional ingredients like fruit or nuts just before eating. This makes a delicious breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Add-in and Topping Options:

  • Nuts and seeds
  • Fruit (banana, berries, apple, your favorite)
  • Maple syrup or honey
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cocoa
  • Cinnamon
  • Granola

Another Note on Avocados

 My friend Kris has this tip when choosing avocados: “I have found, incidentally, that if you select one with the little stem still firmly attached, it is usually superior to the ones where it has fallen or been pulled off . . .not foolproof . . .they are like a little mini lottery each and every time, aren’t they?”

She also enjoys her avocado with a cup of coffee.

Wishing you a delicious week.

Much love,
Health Coach Carol

“You are what you eat, so don’t be fast, cheap, easy or fake.”—Unknown

No longer limited to ‘the pottery that grows,’ chia seeds add fiber, antioxidant oomph to your diet

(The following article was written for the March 2022 issue of Get Healthy magazine, a publication of The Northwest Indiana Times.)

Chia seeds have been popular since they appeared on a ch-ch-ch-Chia Pet ram in 1982.

To answer your burning question, yes, the seeds are the same as those in health food stores. However, the Chia Pet seeds shouldn’t be eaten because they’re not thoroughly cleaned or approved for consumption by the Food and Drug Administration.

The chia seeds that you add to your diet are FDA approved and available at your local grocery or health food store. They are highly nutritious and add an interesting texture to many foods.

Native to Mexico and Guatemala, chia seeds were a staple for the ancient Aztecs and Mayans. The word “chia” means “strength” in Mayan, indicating the seeds’ power was well known. 

Nutritional value

Chia seeds are considered a superfood, rich in compounds such as antioxidants, fiber or fatty acids considered exceptionally beneficial to a person’s health. An ounce (2 tablespoons) of these seeds, provides 10 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein and a large amount of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. The seeds offer all nine essential amino acids, available only from dietary sources and essential to life. Their most abundant minerals are magnesium, calcium, copper, phosphorous, manganese and selenium.

Health benefits

The benefits of these tiny seeds include improved blood sugar control, increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids, increased weight loss, enhanced regularity, better digestion, stronger bones, enhanced oral health, improved energy and exercise performance, glowing skin, improved heart health and lower blood pressure.

How to eat them

When you go to purchase chia seeds, you may see that you have the option of choosing black or white seeds. Any nutritional differences are marginal, so make your choice based on aesthetics. You may even find a mixture of the two. But pass on an obvious number of brown seeds. Though they aren’t harmful to eat, they are either immature and lack optimal nutrition or are some form of weed seed. Choose organically grown when possible and be sure to check the expiration date. They are naturally gluten-free.

Since chia seeds are mild in taste, they’ll take on the flavor of other recipe ingredients. Soaking them in water before adding them to your food gets rid of the protective layer around the shell, which the body can have trouble breaking down. Soaking creates a gel like substance, makes them easier to digest and allows you to get the most nutrients and benefits. Ground chia seeds don’t have the protective layer, so no need to soak.

Depending on how you plan to use them, you can soak 2 tablespoons of seeds in a cup of water, milk or milk alternative for at least 30 minutes; two hours to overnight is ideal.

Add the soaked seeds:

*To smoothies, Greek yogurt, oatmeal or other hot or cold cereals and salads. The longer they soak, the more liquid they absorb and the thicker your final product.
*To soup to thicken it at the end of cooking.
*To homemade jam instead of pectin to thicken it.
*To baked goods as a substitute for eggs. Combine 1 tablespoon chia seeds and 3 tablespoons water; let sit for 5 minutes. This mixture replaces one egg in your baked goods.
*To salad dressings, sauces, marinades or cake/muffin/bread batter.
*To tea, juice or water to help you stay hydrated longer.
*To other grains — mix one tablespoon of seeds with a cup of other grains such as rice or quinoa. Ground chia seeds can be combined with your favorite coating for meat, chicken or fish or used in place of it.

Chia pudding variations make a great breakfast, snack or dessert. Make homemade breakfast or protein bars.

Special concerns

Since chia seeds are high in fiber, incorporate them into your diet slowly to prevent digestive issues such as bloating and gas. Soaking them and staying well hydrated will help guard against unpleasant effects.

It is not advisable to eat dry chia seeds by themselves. Since they absorb 10-12 times their weight in liquid, they can easily swell and become lodged in the throat. This is of special concern with people who have problems swallowing. Large doses of omega-3 fats, such as those from fish oils, may have blood-thinning effects. Since chia seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, you may want to check with your doctor if you’re on blood thinning medications and plan to eat large amounts of chia seeds.

Consumed in moderation, most people experience no negative effects from chia seeds. One to three tablespoons per day is the typical recommendation.