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Healthy Substitutions for Salt (Part 1)

June 15, 2017/0 Comments/in Healthy Eating, Lifestyle /by Rick Adams

No Wrong Way to Get Started

June 1, 2017/0 Comments/in Exercise, Goal Setting, Motivational /by Rick Adams

We all have our own unique motivations for living a healthy lifestyle. When it comes to exercise, there are many ways people become active, like sports or training with a friend. There is no wrong way to get started being physically active. I had a fairly unique beginning which grew to much more over time. […]

Healthy Substitutions for Salt (Part 1)

June 15, 2017/0 Comments/in Healthy Eating, Lifestyle /by Rick Adams

No Wrong Way to Get Started

June 1, 2017/0 Comments/in Exercise, Goal Setting, Motivational /by Rick Adams

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Healthy Substitutions for Salt (Part 1)

June 15, 2017/0 Comments/in Healthy Eating, Lifestyle /by Rick Adams

When a client begins to consider ideas to improve their eating habits, I often hear they will need to cut back on a few food items that they normally consume. One of those is salt, a food item that is often used to make food taste better but is recommended to be kept low in our daily eating habits because excess salt can lead to higher blood pressure levels. When salt is reduced, some individuals worry their food will be boring, mundane, and flavorless. Thankfully, that is not the case. Let’s look into a few items you can use to enjoy your meals while making a change towards healthier eating habits.

Citrus

A great replacement for salt to add flavor to meals. Different types of citrus and zests exist, so there are multiple options available. Orange, lime, and lemon all fall under the citrus family. They can be purchased in their bottled extract form or can be squeezed directly onto food in their natural state. Not only are salt levels lowered, but adding citrus to foods will increase your intake of vitamin C, potassium, and B vitamins. If you enjoy a light, sour zest flavor, then citrus is a great option.

Garlic

Garlic and garlic powder can also be used as a salt substitute. It has a pungent taste but becomes much weaker tasting when cooked. It can be diced and put directly on foods, or you may choose to use a small bottle of garlic powder to flavor foods. I recommend avoiding garlic salt as it is a mix of garlic powder and salt, but mostly salt. Garlic has been shown to also have health benefits. Studies have shown that doses of garlic help thin blood and reduce risk of stroke. Garlic is also a good source of manganese, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.

Ginger

Ginger is a unique spice known for its trademark flavor. It has a mild spicy flavor, but also a hint of sweetness. Fresh ginger has less of a spicy flavor and is sweeter. Ginger is traditionally used in Asian dishes but by no means is limited to just that. It can be used to sweeten seafood dishes and add flavor to chicken meals. Ginger is also a good source of vitamin B6, magnesium, and manganese. Studies have shown that ginger has properties that assist in reducing inflammation.

These are just some options available that can be used to give your food more flavor when trying to reduce your salt intake. Next week we will go over three more items you can use in place of salt to avoid boring and flavorless meals.

CHES, ACE Health Coach, AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

No Wrong Way to Get Started

June 1, 2017/0 Comments/in Exercise, Goal Setting, Motivational /by Rick Adams

As a young child, I played sports like baseball and hockey; I never saw that as exercise, and I never trained outside of those sports. I quit playing sports while I was still young and remained inactive for several years. I put on weight and was quite out of shape. (The required one mile run in gym class soon became my nemesis) What lead to my return to being physically active was actually more accidental than intentional.

I was recently asked what inspired me to make exercise a priority in my own life. Honestly, I could not remember how I started being active on a regular basis, but after a day of dwelling on that question, the answer came back to me. In eighth grade, I was a huge sports fan and would watch ESPN as much as I could, especially in the morning before school. ESPN was channel 25, and ESPN 2 was channel 27. I would flip back and forth between the two channels to watch as much sports coverage as possible. As I flipped between ESPN and ESPN 2, I would often see a flash of a bright, beautiful beach that caught my attention. It was channel 26, and I eventually decided to stop and see exactly what it was.

Channel 26 was Lifetime, “Television for Women.” It was Denise Austin’s morning workout show. Whether I stopped for the beautiful beach or the pretty woman, I can’t really seem to remember. I watched it in little bits during ESPN commercials and I began to say to myself, “I can do this.” So I did. I started slowly doing body weight exercises in my bedroom before school. This was the beginning of my regular exercise routine. To this day, some of my favorite core exercises are ones I learned from her shows. After following along in my room for a few episodes, I started to feel stronger and began to look more toned. Probably not how most teenage boys start a regular exercise regimen.

So why share this funny tidbit about my life with you? There is a very important lesson to be learned from this story. As I stated, the beginning of my regular exercise routine was different than many other teenage boys my age. That is exactly the point of this story. There is not a wrong way to get started with your exercise routine as long as it is done safely. Whatever type of exercise you start with is OK, there are so many types of exercise and ways to get started. Whatever way you decide to start can lead to more success down the line. You just have to get started.

CHES, ACE Health Coach, AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

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Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Healthy Substitutions for Salt (Part 1)

No Wrong Way to Get Started

Healthy Substitutions for Salt (Part 1)

No Wrong Way to Get Started

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Healthy Substitutions for Salt (Part 1)

No Wrong Way to Get Started

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